Japan Auto Show Car

Japan Auto Show Honda

Still working to repair factories and restore supply chains in the wake of the deadly earthquake and tsunami on March 11, Japanese automakers have said it may take longer than expected for factories to return to full capacity. Production at Nissan and Toyota plants in Japan may not resume for several weeks, according to executives quoted by Reuters.

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said he hopes that the company’s Iwaki engine plant, located approximately 30 miles from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant, will be able to open by the end of April. The Iwaki plant opened in 1994 and was expanded in 2005 to build the VQ series of V-6 engines.

Toyota has stopped production at 18 of its factories in Japan, and executives say they don’t plan to resume work at the plants until April 11. However, production of the Toyota Prius, Lexus HS250h, and Lexus CT200h hybrids resumed yesterday.

Japan Auto Show Nissan

Honda has also been affected, with the company’s research and development facilities in Utsonomiya damaged by the natural disasters. According to Automotive News, repairing the building could take several months. Until then, Honda will move some research operations to other, undamaged facilities, although there will still be a two-week delay in the company’s R&D efforts. Vehicle production at the company’s assembly plants has been postponed until “at least” April 3.

Japan Auto Show Toyota

The ripple effect of automaker shutdowns has been felt around the world: Toyota today announced it will have to ration its remaining stock of spare parts, and even Ford has been left short of pigments essential for certain paint colors.