One of the largest automakers in Japan, Toyota, had to halt five of its production plants amid the COVID-19 on the nation. (Image via CNN.com)

Toyota halts operations in 5 Japanese plants amid COVID-19

Alfonsus Adi Putra
Business & Industry
Automotive & Equipment
Apr 04, 2020
1631
On Friday, one of the largest automakers in Japan and the second-largest vehicle maker by sales, Toyota Motor Corp, suspended its seven production lines at five plants in Japan. These plants are:

1. Tsutsumi, Aichi, (stopped)
2. Tahara, Aichi, (stopped)
3. Takaoka, Toyama, (idled)
4. Hamura, Tokyo, and (idled)
5. Miyata, Fukuoka (suspend).

From the five plants, the Miyata plant is undergoing the longest suspension.

The decision to halt the operation line came after the sharp drop in overseas demand as the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is sweeping the globe. Toyota estimated that the suspension, placed until 15 April at the latest, will see production cuts of about 36,000 units.

The employees of the five halted plants will be asked to take paid holidays or assigned to other divisions to enhance productivity during the suspension period.

Toyota makes its vehicles at 18 factories across Japan, including those outsourced to other automakers.

Other Japanese auto and part makers are also forced to halt their domestic manufactures. Honda Motor Co., Nissan Motor Co., Subaru Corp., and four other Japanese automakers were forced to temporarily halt their production lines due to the slump in demand. Not to mention, some employees also contracted COVID-19.

As the Japanese government requests its citizens to stay indoors for the time being except for essential reasons, the car sales in Japan have also been hit because the buyers are not visiting the showrooms.

Source: https://bit.ly/348jXLK

Automotive , Business , Market , Vehicle , Asia , Japan , Toyota , COVID-19