Toyota Motor Corp. and Nissan Motor Co. have suspended production at two plants that export Lexus and crossover vehicles after a strong earthquake in southwest Japan damaged two factories at a key supplier. A body part factory and die-casting plant, both operated by Toyota group supplier Aisin Seiki, were damaged in the magnitude-6.2 quake on Thursday that killed at least 10 people and injured hundreds.
Aisin Seiki spokesman Masayuki Toyama said no workers were injured in the quake. The plants make sunroofs, door frames, door handles, and other body parts as well as cast-metal engine parts. Both factories are located in Kumamoto city near the epicenter of the quake. The plants supply local assembly operations of Toyota, Daihatsu and Nissan.
Operations at both parts factories stopped immediately after the quake, but workers were not able to get inside to evaluate the factories until Friday evening because of aftershocks. The spokesman said it appears there is serious damage inside the plants. The exteriors of the plants have minor structural damage, including collapsed walls and broken windows, the Aisin spokesman said.
The supplier disruption was not expected to impact production at assembly plants elsewhere in Japan. Aisin could not indicate when production will resume at either plant.
