Toyota and Nissan have suspended production at their plants in southwestern Japan following a powerful earthquake that struck the Kumamoto region on July 28.
The 7.1-magnitude quake left at least 13 people dead and caused damage to roads, power supplies, and local suppliers.
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The automakers' plants themselves, located about 93 miles from the epicenter, were not damaged.
Production Impact
Toyota halted operations at all three of its plants until Friday, affecting engine, hybrid powertrain, and Lexus assembly lines.
The shutdown is expected to result in a loss of around 5,200 vehicle units, according to Automotive News.
Nissan suspended parts of its plants indefinitely due to parts availability issues. The affected models include the Infiniti QX80 and Nissan Armada.
Nissan's shutdown began Wednesday and remains open-ended, raising concerns about supply chain continuity.
About 90 percent of Lexus vehicles from Toyota's Miyata assembly plant are exported globally, including to the United States.
This includes models such as the ES sedan, RX compact SUV, and UX and NX subcompact SUVs.
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Supply disruptions stem from damage to local auto parts manufacturers in the Kumamoto area, which support both Toyota and Nissan.
At least two such suppliers have already suspended operations, threatening longer-term production delays despite the main plants being operational.
While Toyota initially stopped operations for one shift after the quake and attempted a restart, ongoing supplier and safety concerns forced a prolonged shutdown until Friday.
These suspensions may temporarily limit the availability of certain Lexus and Nissan models, especially in the U. S.
market, where a significant portion of Toyota's Lexus lineup originates from the Miyata plant.
Elsewhere in Kumamoto, the Aeon Mall, which had been rebuilt to withstand earthquakes after damage in 2016, collapsed again in the recent quake.
Four bodies were recovered from the rubble, underscoring the quake's severity.
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“When this quake hit, I immediately knew the epicentre was close,” said Nishiyama, a local resident. “I didn’t think this was going to happen here again.”
