Toyota, Nissan, and Mitsubishi Suspend Some Japan Plants Due to Tsunami Warning

On July 30, after a strong earthquake struck the Pacific coast of Russia's Far East, the Japan Meteorological Agency warned that tsunami waves as high as 10 feet could inundate parts of Japan's coastal areas. Subsequently, Toyota, Nissan, and Mitsubishi suspended some of their operations in Japan.

Toyota Motor Corporation suspended the afternoon shifts at eight plants in Japan and the morning shifts at two plants the following day. The largest automaker in Japan stated that there have been no reports of casualties or damage to facilities; however, to better assess worker safety following the earthquake and ensure uninterrupted logistics, it decided to halt some operations. The company will later decide on the resumption of operations at the affected plants.

Image source: Toyota Motor Corporation

Nissan Motor Company's global headquarters is located on the Yokohama waterfront. After the alarm was issued, the company evacuated personnel from the showroom and product display room on the first floor of the headquarters. A spokesperson for Nissan said that operations at the company's coastal Oppama assembly plant and research center were also suspended, and employees were evacuated.

The company's engine plants in Yokohama and Iwaki have also suspended operations and evacuated employees. The Nissan Iwaki plant, located on the northeastern Pacific coast of Fukushima Prefecture, suffered severe damage during the deadly earthquake and tsunami in 2011.

Nissan has not yet reported any losses and stated that measures are being taken to ensure employee safety. However, the company later reopened the showroom at its Yokohama headquarters because CEO Ivan Espinosa was scheduled to hold a press conference there later in the afternoon to announce the quarterly financial results.

A spokesperson for Mitsubishi Motors stated that the company's Mizushima assembly plant, located near the western coast of Japan, has suspended operations and evacuated employees as a measure taken in response to local government directives. However, Mitsubishi has also not reported any damages.

Suzuki's global headquarters is located in Shizuoka City near the Pacific coast. As a precautionary measure, the company temporarily moved its first-floor employees to the second floor. However, its factory operations were not affected.

Mazda has a factory in the coastal area of the westernmost part of Japan, and the company stated that its operations have not been affected for the time being.

Honda Motor Co. stated that it has not suspended factory operations or evacuated employees because it does not have factories near coastal areas.

On March 11, 2011, Japan experienced a massive 9.0 magnitude earthquake, which triggered a deadly tsunami and led to a nuclear leakage crisis at the nuclear power plant along the coast of Fukushima. This emergency situation caused a halt in Japanese automobile production for several months. Therefore, in this earthquake-prone country, Japanese automakers are particularly sensitive to the dangers of tsunamis.