Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Quake Damage Halts Auto Assembly Lines

Japanese car makers hit by damage to key suppliers

By Heather McPherson, Newser User

Posted Jul 19, 2007 9:26 AM CDT

(Newser) – Japanese auto makers known for their lean inventories have had to shut down assembly lines for want of parts in the wake of Monday's earthquake. A key supplier of transmission and engine components was damaged in the 6.8-magnitude quake. Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi have all halted production at some plants; Honda is threatening to join them, Forbes reports.

The automakers have sent their own engineers—Toyota alone has dispatched 300—to help speed repairs at the supplier, Riken Corp. Lost production is costing the Japanese car makers $164 million a day, Morgan Stanley estimates.

A damaged sidewalk following Monday's quake is seen in Kashiwazaki city, Niigata Prefecture (State), Japan, Tuesday, July 17, 2007. A 6.8-magnitude earthquake shook Japan's northwest coast on Monday,... (Associated Press)

Tokyo Electric Power Co. official, left, points and shows a group of press a burnt generator attached to the number three nuclear power plant at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Kashiwazaki,... (Associated Press)

An access road inside the compound of Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s nuclear power plants is seen damaged following a powerful earthquake at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Kashiwazaki, northeastern... (Associated Press)

Fire fighters inspect incinerator building at Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power plant in Kashiwazaki, Niigata Prefecture (State) Wednesday, July 18, 2007. A top power company official defended safety standards... (Associated Press)

Workers stroll past a burnt generator attached to the number three nuclear power plant at Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power plant in Kashiwazaki, northeastern Japan, Wednesday, July 18, 2007. A top power... (Associated Press)

Gutters of an access road inside the compound of Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s nuclear power plants are seen damaged following a powerful earthquake at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Kashiwazaki,... (Associated Press)

A worker walks on a damaged road near garbage-disposal facility, background, in Kashiwazaki city Thursday, July 19, 2007. A 6.8-magnitude earthquake rocked Japan's northwest coast on Monday, flattened... (Associated Press)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

7.0 Quake Shakes Tokyo

But no injuries, damage reported

(AP) - A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck under the sea south of Japan today, shaking buildings in the capital but causing no apparent damage or tsunami. The quake struck near the uninhabited island of Torishima in the Pacific Ocean, about 370 miles south of Tokyo, and its epicenter was about 230 miles below the sea, the Meterological Agency said. Buildings in the Tokyo area shook, but no damage or injuries were reported, and no abnormalities were reported at power plants. More»

Fukushima: Big Radiation Spike Was Wrong

Worker fled before taking second reading

(AP) - That big spike in radiation levels 10 million times normal that Fukushima Dai-ichi reported earlier? Inaccurate, red-faced officials at Tokyo Electric Power Co now say. "The number is not credible," says a spokesman. "We are very sorry." The apology came after employees fled the complex's Unit 2 reactor when a reading showed radiation levels had reached 10 million times higher than normal in the reactor's cooling system. Officials said they were so high that the worker taking the measurements had withdrawn before taking a second reading. More»

8.9 Quake Rips Tokyo, Tsunami Shatters Coast

Wall of water rips down buildings

(NEWSER) - A tsunami rammed the coast of Japan following a powerful 8.9-magnitude earthquake that violently shook buildings in Tokyo and sent panicked residents into the streets. The extent of damage and injuries is not yet known from the quake and aftermath, but TV cameras showed a powerful Pacific wave ripping down buildings and tumbling cars down streets several miles inland in coastal towns. Fires triggered by the quake burned uncontrolled up and down the coast, reports AP . One death was reported in Tokyo, but many others are expected in the nation. "This is a rare major quake, and damages could quickly rise by the minute," warned an official. More»

6.9 Quake Sways Tokyo Buildings

No damage reported after strong but deep quake

(NEWSER) - A 6.9 magnitude earthquake hit islands off the east coast of Japan today, causing buildings to sway in downtown Tokyo. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries caused by the quake, which struck at a depth of 300 miles, AP reports. Japan's meteorological agency says there's no danger of a tsunami. More»

7.1 Earthquake Rocks Tokyo

No casualties, or threats of a tsunami, reported

(NEWSER) - A 7.1 earthquake rattled Tokyo and surrounding areas today, AP reports. The strong quake, which struck just before 8 pm local time, disrupted trains and a professional baseball game, but so far there are no reports of damage or casualties, and no threat of a resulting tsunami. Japan is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries, and experts say Tokyo has a 90% chance of being rocked by a major quake within the next 50 years. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Quake Damage Halts Auto Assembly Lines

Japanese car makers hit by damage to key suppliers

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Japan • Toyota • electricity • Tokyo • radioactive • nuclear waste • power plant • Tokyo Electric Power Co. • earthquake

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

7.0 Quake Shakes Tokyo

But no injuries, damage reported

Fukushima: Big Radiation Spike Was Wrong

Worker fled before taking second reading

8.9 Quake Rips Tokyo, Tsunami Shatters Coast

Wall of water rips down buildings

6.9 Quake Sways Tokyo Buildings

No damage reported after strong but deep quake

7.1 Earthquake Rocks Tokyo

No casualties, or threats of a tsunami, reported

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?

Quake Damage Halts Auto Assembly Lines

Japanese car makers hit by damage to key suppliers

Bookmark & Share

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Japan • Toyota • electricity • Tokyo • radioactive • nuclear waste • power plant • Tokyo Electric Power Co. • earthquake

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

7.0 Quake Shakes Tokyo

But no injuries, damage reported

Fukushima: Big Radiation Spike Was Wrong

Worker fled before taking second reading

8.9 Quake Rips Tokyo, Tsunami Shatters Coast

Wall of water rips down buildings

6.9 Quake Sways Tokyo Buildings

No damage reported after strong but deep quake

7.1 Earthquake Rocks Tokyo

No casualties, or threats of a tsunami, reported

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?