Toyota And Nissan Stop Japanese Production Ahead Of Intense Typhoon

Sep. 06, 2022 3:35 PM ET by Jarryd Neves Industry News / Comments

The approaching Hinnamnor typhoon is forcing the closure of certain Japanese plants.

Toyota and Nissan are expected to close several plans in the western parts of Japan, reports Reuters. Typhoon Hinnamnor is approaching the western prefecture of Fukuoka, forcing Toyota to suspend shifts at three plants in the area. The automaker has already canceled the Monday night and Tuesday morning shifts, with hopes of restarting production on Tuesday night.

Nissan will do the same, suspending the Monday night and Tuesday daytime shifts, said a company spokesperson. The typhoon has reportedly grown in intensity, with government officials increasing the intensity rating from "strong" to "very strong." Hinnamnor has made its way to Japan after devastating parts of South Korea, where two people reportedly died.

For the struggling automotive industry, this couldn't have come at a worse time. The COVID-19 pandemic previously forced Toyota to shut down production of the Lexus RX and Toyota RAV4, and Nissan has also had to contend with similar issues. The resultant chip shortage forced the Japanese automaker to cease production of popular models such as the Leaf and Maxima.

Currently, Toyota's Fukuoka-based facility produces several Lexus models, including the NX and UX crossovers. The latter Lexus model is built exclusively at the Miyawaka factory, which means US supply may be threatened if the typhoon gets out of hand. As one of the brand's biggest sellers, this could be a cause for concern.

For Toyota, this isn't the first time a natural disaster is threatened production. In April, the country's Prospecton plant in South Africa suffered a serious setback after floods ravaged the facility, destroying hundreds of vehicles and causing plenty of property destruction. Thankfully, the factory is up and running once again after the Japanese automaker invested in extensive repairs.

Nissan also builds several popular models in the Fukuoka area, including the Nissan Armada and Infiniti QX80 SUVs. Thankfully, the new Nissan Ariya electric vehicle and the in-demand Z sports car are unaffected by this. Similarly, the production of the affordable Leaf EV remains undisturbed.

Fellow automaker Honda has also had to deal with production-related issues, although it seems to have dodged this typhoon-shaped bullet. while rival companies have managed to navigate the chip crisis and supply chain issues, Honda production has been hit hard. In the coming months, the automaker is expected to reduce production by up to 40%.

Hopefully, the deadly typhoon doesn't cause damage to the facilities or harm those in the area, but for the sake of the aforementioned companies, we hope it passes soon enough. Vehicle prices are already high as a result of high demand, and slowed production lines certainly won't help this in the coming months.