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\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\insurance\wwwallstatecom\toyota+and+other+major+japanese+auto+brands+have+suspended+production+due+to+damage+caused+by+the+recent+earthquake_16000325_800465883_0_0_4000501_300.jpg "Toyota and other major Japanese auto brands have suspended production due to damage caused by the recent earthquake.")
The motor vehicle industry in Japan, home to a number of world-renowned auto brands, is struggling to recover from the March 11 earthquake and subsequent tsunami, according to industry research and forecasting group IHS automotive.
The group reported that a number of Japanese auto makers have decided to extend the amount of time they will suspend production of vehicles. Some automakers were more affected than others, depending on the location of their primary manufacturing facilities in Japan.
Toyota has decided to idle all of its Japanese facilities through March 16, while Honda's production is unlikely to restart until sometime after March 20, according to the source. Subaru, Mazda, Suzuki and Mitsubishi have all halted production as well
According to the Wall Street Journal, it is unclear how long the industry will take to rebound and whether or not the halt will affect those buying cars in the U.S. Many of the cars sold in America by the affected car makers are actually produced in the U.S or elsewhere in North America. However, popular vehicles like the Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris and Scion are only built in the Japanese region that suffered significant damages.
Indirect impact
The industry also suffered a significant amount of indirect impact, the source said. Many suppliers which provide parts for Japanese auto manufacturers worldwide were severely damaged by the earthquake and tsunami.
Additionally, the devastated neighborhoods where many of the plants were located may have the long-term effect of desolation, stripping the human support for these facilities from the area.
"Beyond the physical plant and facility issues are human issues that are unlikely to be resolved any time soon. The tragic loss of life and homes across the region means that even if infrastructure and facilities can be repaired, whole communities that have supported many of these plants have been uprooted or are still unaccounted for," the report said. "An ongoing nuclear power emergency that has seen five power plants shut down could make power outages a routine occurrence across the country in the near term as well."
The report also discussed problems with land and sea transportation as well as inventories that were destroyed when the earthquake struck. According to the report, 2,300 Nissan and Infiniti vehicles waiting for shipment at the Hitachi port were destroyed by the tsunami.
The 9.0-magnitude earthquake was one of the most devastating to hit Japan in modern history. The subsequent tsunami - a more common geographic occurrence in Japan, which holds half of the top 10 spots on Australian Geographic's list of the most destructive tsunamis in history - served as a major obstacle to recovery efforts.
Some experts believe the recovery of economic output across the nation will be delayed due to the extent of damages to infrastructure, according to the BBC.
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