Production halted due to heavy snowfall in Tokyo and elsewhere the previous day… Retail also suffers
The Yomiuri Shimbun reported on the 6th that production of automobile companies is being disrupted due to heavy snow that fell the previous day in a wide area of Japan’s Honshu region and the Kanto Koshin region, including the Tokyo metropolitan area.
The Kanto Koshin region includes Tokyo, Tochigi Prefecture, Gunma Prefecture, Saitama Prefecture, Ibaraki Prefecture, Chiba Prefecture, Kanagawa Prefecture, Nagano Prefecture, and Yamanashi Prefecture.
According to reports, Toyota Motor Company decided to suspend operation of 9 lines at 6 plants, including the Takaoka Plant and Tahara Plant in Aichi Prefecture, on the morning of the 6th due to logistics issues.
Hino Motors, an affiliate of the Toyota Group that mainly produces trucks and other commercial vehicles, also decided to suspend production at its Hino Plant and Hamura Plant in Tokyo on the 6th.
Nissan Motor Company halted operations at its Opama Plant, Yokohama Plant, and Tochigi Plant in Kanagawa Prefecture starting on the 5th. Honda Motor Company also decided to shut down its factory in Saitama Prefecture until the morning of the 6th. They say they will make a decision based on the weather situation on the afternoon of the 6th.
In addition, heavy snow is also affecting the retail industry. Ito-Yokado, a large Japanese store, advanced the closing time on the 5th by 1 to 2 hours at about 30 stores, mainly in the metropolitan area. Due to the highway closure, product delivery was delayed at some stores.
Although warning level heavy snow was not forecast on the 6th, transportation disruptions such as flight cancellations continued.
According to the Nippon Keizai Shimbun, JR Tokai announced that starting from the first train on the 6th, it is expected to operate at reduced speeds in some sections of the Tokaido Shinkansen, resulting in delays of up to 10 minutes.
JR East Japan, one of the Shinkansen operators, has suspended or delayed service on some routes in the metropolitan area.
All Nippon Airways (ANA) canceled 27 flights on the 6th, mainly those departing from and arriving at Haneda, and approximately 2,800 passengers are expected to be affected. Japan Airlines (JAL) also decided to cancel four flights on the same day.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, 7 cm of snow was observed in downtown Tokyo as of 6 a.m. on the 6th due to heavy snowfall from the previous day. The Japan Meteorological Agency continues to urge caution regarding traffic disruptions and frozen roads.
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.