Earthquake in Japan Affects Toyota and Honda Plants
03-11-11, 06:41 AM
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Earthquake in Japan Affects Toyota and Honda Plants
TOKYO -- Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. have suspended production at plants in Japan today and were assessing damage after an 8.9-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast, triggering a tsunami and shaking buildings violently as far away as Tokyo.
The shutdown could affect exports to the United States of such cars as the Toyota Yaris sedan, the Scion XB and Scion XD, as well as the Honda Fit small car.
Toyota, the world's largest carmaker, said it evacuated workers from several factories in the quake zone. Toyota has two parts plants in northern Japan and it has 2 affiliates, Kanto Auto Works, Ltd. and Central Motors Co., that assemble small cars in the region.
The immediate status of those plants was still being evaluated, Toyota spokesman Dion Corbett said. "We are still trying to get information from them," he said.
Widespread Damage
The quake struck at 2:46 p.m. local time off the coast of Sendai north of the capital, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. The tremor also triggered a tsunami that flooded coastal areas. Television footage showed cars being washed down flood zones like toys and large capsized cargo ships tossed sideways and jumbled together and pushed inland.
Aftershocks, many strong, rocked the region for hours afterward.
Toyota is 1 of the few Japanese automakers with a large manufacturing presence in northern Japan, a region it wants to make a center for small car production. In January, its Central Motors subsidiary opened an new assembly plant just an hour's drive away from Sendai. That plant, with a capacity of 120,000 vehicles, makes the Yaris small car for export to the United States.
Toyota's Kanto Auto Works has another assembly plant in the neighboring prefecture of Iwate. That plant also makes small cars, including the Yaris sedan, the Scion XB and Scion XD for export. The Toyota parent company has two parts plants in the region as well.
"As for production from here out, we will make a decision after we get a handle on the situation," Corbett said, about when the northern plants would reopen.
Toyota plants near the company's headquarters in Toyota City, in central Japan, had resumed production as normal after brief shutdowns, Corbett said. There were no reports of injuries from those factories. Possible damage was still being assessed.
Honda and suppliers
Toyota was also confirming damage at its suppliers. Toyota Boshoku Corp. and Denso Corp., 2 of Toyota’s biggest parts makers, both reportedly suffered some plant damage.
Honda shut down 2 assembly plants immediately after the temblor, spokesman Keitaro Yamamoto said. Honda’s Suzuka plant in central Japan soon resumed production.
But the company’s Sayama plant, north of Tokyo and closer to the epicenter, remained shut down by late Friday evening. Yamamoto said Honda headquarters was having difficulty contacting its plants. The U.S.-bound Fit is among the cars produced at Sayama.
Yamamoto said the company was unsure when production would resume there.
At Honda’s r&d center in Tochigi prefecture, 1 person died and 30 were injured when the quake toppled a wall at the facility’s cafeteria. No other injuries were reported.
03-11-11, 07:31 AM
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Very sad for all those affected.
03-11-11, 08:27 AM
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Honda’s Tochigi R&D plant hit by Japan earthquake, one fatality confirmed
Honda’s Tochigi R&D plant hit by Japan earthquake
MCN News
By Andy Downes
11 March 2011
Honda’s huge Tochigi Proving Ground and research and development facility are among those areas hit by the massive Japanese earthquake that struck last night.
The earthquake measured a powerful 8.9 magnitude and triggered a tsunami that has caused huge damage in the northern part of Japan. Several big fires have also been caused in Tokyo as an oil refinery was damaged.
Honda Tochigi facility is where the firm puts all new bikes through testing and development in secret.
It has a network of tracks and replica roads from around the world. One worker at Tochigi, which builds cars, is known to have been killed when a ceiling collapsed.
Thirty injuries have also been reported at the Honda facility, some 80 miles north of Tokyo.
An official statement says: “The earthquake which hit Japan earlier today was one of the largest ever recorded and is a major catastrophe for the nation. Honda’s number one priority is to help and support the affected areas in whatever capacity we have at our disposal.
"Honda can confirm that there has been one fatality at Honda R&D Co. Ltd in Tochigi prefecture. At this time, thirty injuries have also been reported. Saitama factory has suspended production until further notice. Suzuka factory has now resumed production.”
The earthquake struck 250 miles out to sea in the middle of Friday afternoon Japanese time. It’s reckoned to be the most powerful earthquake to hit Japan in almost 100 years.
MCN News
By Andy Downes
11 March 2011
Honda’s huge Tochigi Proving Ground and research and development facility are among those areas hit by the massive Japanese earthquake that struck last night.
The earthquake measured a powerful 8.9 magnitude and triggered a tsunami that has caused huge damage in the northern part of Japan. Several big fires have also been caused in Tokyo as an oil refinery was damaged.
Honda Tochigi facility is where the firm puts all new bikes through testing and development in secret.
It has a network of tracks and replica roads from around the world. One worker at Tochigi, which builds cars, is known to have been killed when a ceiling collapsed.
Thirty injuries have also been reported at the Honda facility, some 80 miles north of Tokyo.
An official statement says: “The earthquake which hit Japan earlier today was one of the largest ever recorded and is a major catastrophe for the nation. Honda’s number one priority is to help and support the affected areas in whatever capacity we have at our disposal.
"Honda can confirm that there has been one fatality at Honda R&D Co. Ltd in Tochigi prefecture. At this time, thirty injuries have also been reported. Saitama factory has suspended production until further notice. Suzuka factory has now resumed production.”
The earthquake struck 250 miles out to sea in the middle of Friday afternoon Japanese time. It’s reckoned to be the most powerful earthquake to hit Japan in almost 100 years.
03-11-11, 12:01 PM
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The epicenter of the massive 8.9 earthquake in northern Japan was away from the country's main auto production centers, but caused work to halt at some Toyota, Honda and Nissan facilities.
Toyota: A statement from Toyota USA said production has restarted at all of the company''s own Japanese plants. But Toyota has four subsidiaries with plants in the quake zone, including facilities that make the Yaris and the Scion xB and xD for export. Toyota USA said those plants are shut down and workers have been evacuated to safe areas.
Toyota said the extent of the damage at those subsidiary plants -- Toyota Motor Hokkaido, Toyota Motor Tohoku, Central Motor Corp. and Kanto Auto Works Iwate -- and at suppliers including Denso is undetermined.
Honda: At least one person was killed and 30 injured when a wall collapsed at a Honda's R&D facility in Tochigi prefecture. Also, production was disrupted at two plants, but has restarted at one of them. The plant at Sayama, which makes several Honda and Acura models for export, remains closed.
Nissan: The company halted production at five plants in northeastern Japan and in Yokohama near Tokyo, due to damage or power outages. It said two workers were slightly injured at its Tochigi plant and its technical center in Kanagawa. A statement from Nissan USA also said that small fired were put out at plants in Tochigi and Iwaki. Nissan said its facilities would remain shut down through the weekend and that a decision on what will reopen Monday will be made tomorrow after it has better information on its own facilities and those of suppliers.
Toyota: A statement from Toyota USA said production has restarted at all of the company''s own Japanese plants. But Toyota has four subsidiaries with plants in the quake zone, including facilities that make the Yaris and the Scion xB and xD for export. Toyota USA said those plants are shut down and workers have been evacuated to safe areas.
Toyota said the extent of the damage at those subsidiary plants -- Toyota Motor Hokkaido, Toyota Motor Tohoku, Central Motor Corp. and Kanto Auto Works Iwate -- and at suppliers including Denso is undetermined.
Honda: At least one person was killed and 30 injured when a wall collapsed at a Honda's R&D facility in Tochigi prefecture. Also, production was disrupted at two plants, but has restarted at one of them. The plant at Sayama, which makes several Honda and Acura models for export, remains closed.
Nissan: The company halted production at five plants in northeastern Japan and in Yokohama near Tokyo, due to damage or power outages. It said two workers were slightly injured at its Tochigi plant and its technical center in Kanagawa. A statement from Nissan USA also said that small fired were put out at plants in Tochigi and Iwaki. Nissan said its facilities would remain shut down through the weekend and that a decision on what will reopen Monday will be made tomorrow after it has better information on its own facilities and those of suppliers.
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03-11-11, 12:58 PM
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Japan quake halts work at Toyota, Nissan, Honda plants
http://content.usatoday.com/communit...honda-plants/1
Grab a Toyota while you can
What cars do they build there?
Grab a Toyota while you can
What cars do they build there?
03-11-11, 01:21 PM
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Grab a Toyota while you can
What cars do they build there?
Grab a Toyota while you can
What cars do they build there?
03-11-11, 08:09 PM
#13
Illustration: Grant Ray
This illustration shows the locations of Japanese motorcycle factories and companies in relation to the 8.9 magnitude earthquake’s epicenter off the coast of Sendai. So far, the only word of significant damage comes from Honda’s Tochigi R&D facility where one person was killed and 30 injured during the quake. It should be noted that this is an ongoing event, aftershocks continue and tsunami warning remain in place for the entirety of Japan’s east coast.
Even though most of the above facilities appear to have escaped the catastrophe unscathed, it seems reasonable to expect disruptions to production as Japan’s infrastructure reels from the massive quake. According to Jason Fullington’s firsthand report, public transportation in Tokyo is currently shut down completely and the roads — jammed with people trying to reach loved ones or escape damage — aren’t much better. The next few weeks are likely to see energy shortages, continuing difficulties with transportation and emergency measures which could further interrupt normal operations.
