Washington, April 05: Japanese automaker Toyota has announced a decision to close some of its production plants in the US due to shortage of parts after Japan’s disastrous earthquake.
Toyota’s spokesman Mike Goss said on Monday that shutting down some of the automaker’s plants in the United States is “inevitable,” AFP reported.
“We have communicated to team members, associates and dealers here that some production interruptions in North America are likely. It’s too early to predict location or duration,” Toyota said in a separate statement.
It is still unknown whether the automobile giant will shut down all of its 13 plants. However, the temporarily close-down will affect about 25,000 workers.
The spare parts that are in short supply are mostly absorbers, body panel and pillar subassemblies.
On March 11, an 8.9-magnitude earthquake, off the northeast coast of Japan’s main island, unleashed a 30-foot (10-meter) tsunami wave and was followed by more than 50 aftershocks for hours.
Japan has announced that nearly 28,000 people have died or are feared dead as a result of the disaster which is said to be of historic proportions.
——–Agencies