Kyushu Plant Operation Outlook Uncertain after Kumamoto Quake

Tokyo, July 29 (Jiji Press)--The outlook for factory operations remained unclear in the Kyushu southwestern Japan region Wednesday after a powerful earthquake hit the region's Kumamoto Prefecture the previous day.

In Kumamoto, a semiconductor industry hub, chipmakers halted the operations of their plants to check whether there was any damage to their facilities from the temblor, which recorded a seismic intensity of up to 7 in the prefecture, the highest level on the Japanese scale.

Toyota Motor Corp. group companies resumed operations at some facilities in Kyushu, but they soon stopped the operations.

The extent of damage to parts makers and other members of supply chains remains largely unknown. It may take time to resume manufacturing activities in Kyushu.

On Wednesday morning, Toyota Motor Kyushu Inc. resumed operations at three plants in Fukuoka Prefecture, which neighbors Kumamoto. But the operations were halted again in the afternoon.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]