The Yomiuri Shimbun reported on the 8th that, one week after the Noto Peninsula earthquake, there were signs of movement toward reopening at factories in the affected areas.
Toshiba, a leading Japanese electronics company, will partially resume production at its power semiconductor plant in Nomi, Ishikawa Prefecture from the 10th. It was in operation on the 1st when the earthquake occurred, and stopped operating immediately after the earthquake.
As the exhaust piping was damaged due to the earthquake and facility inspections are continuing, the timing of full recovery cannot be predicted, but Toshiba President Taro Shimada said, “We want to restore it as quickly as possible.”
Toyota Motor Company announced the day before that this year’s car production would begin on the 8th as scheduled. Toyota, which had been reviewing the timing of operation due to damage to its parts companies due to the earthquake, announced that it would produce using inventory outside the damaged area, but would make a decision based on the recovery situation after the 15th.
The Komatsu Plant (Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture) of J-Bus, a bus production company jointly established by Hino Motors and Isuzu Motors, plans to resume production from the 8th and is said to produce while keeping in mind the amount of parts that can be procured.
Semiconductor equipment manufacturer Kokusai Electric will resume operations at its production and research and development base in Toyama City from the 9th. Like Toyota, it plans to procure replacement parts from factories other than those in the affected areas.
Some Japanese companies are delaying the resumption of operations due to equipment damage caused by the earthquake.
Chemical and textile giant Toray suffered earthquake damage at nine of the group’s bases in the Hokuriku region. It is reported that a factory in Nomi City, which manufactures carbon fiber processed products, shut down all facilities after the earthquake and the resumption date has not been determined.
It is said that Murata Works, a major electronic components company, cannot guarantee when five of its 13 factories in three prefectures, including Ishikawa, will resume operations.
According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, more than 80% of about 200 companies with major production bases in the Hokuriku region have resumed production or have set operational targets.
Yomiuri said, “As the aftershocks continue, some production bases have damaged facilities, so inspections often take time, and roads are cut in various places, so the stability of the supply chain, including parts, is expected to be a challenge.” In addition, there are many auto parts factories, so if supply chain instability continues, there are concerns about the impact it will have on the entire manufacturing industry.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.