Cars 101: Japan Grows Back

Last March 11, 2011, at 2:46 pm, an earthquake struck Japan. The earthquake damaged several buildings, even the R&D facilities of Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Mazda, and Toyota. The following month, Toyota's production lowered from 254,000 to 49,000. The loss of supplies on car-building, like electronic chips, sensors, and many forms of plastics and rubbers for building tires.

Honda Cars Phils. Inc.(HCPI) had not affected yet because it sourced most of its parts, including the complete CR-V, Jazz, Civic, Accord, and City models- from Thailand. HCPI president Hiroshi Shimizu said,"Some parts we do get from Japan but Honda's production facilities in the region are prepared to take up the slack.

In Japan itself, Honda is the unluckiest of all carmakers. Its Tochigi engine plant and multi-model Sayama assembly complex are in the quake zone and severly damaged. Nissan, too, had a big hit. It has only two engine plants in Japan, and one, at the Iwaki district, was so badly damaged and there is a rumor that it will be abandoned, because it is 56 km(34 mi) from Fukushima.

The carmakers donated vehicles: Toyota sent vans and Prii(plural of Prius), Nissan gave 65 Leafs to medical emergency workers, and Mitsubishi gave 30 i-MiEVs. Why electric cars? It is because the shortage of fuel and gas leaks.


NUMBERS THAT PROVE THE AUTOMOTIVE OF JAPAN

685,655 cars produced in February 2011
99,507 trucks produced in the same date
249,772 cars produced in April 2011
40,305 trucks produced in the same date
60% is the amount of decrease in vehicle production in Japan
756,615 cars produced in September 2011
115,846 trucks produced in the same date
818,817 cars produced last February
123,803 trucks produced last February

NUMBER OF UNITS PRODUCED LAST APRIL 2011

Suzuki: 58,398
Toyota: 53,823
Nissan: 44,193
Mazda: 35,313
Mitsubishi: 27,481
Subaru: 25,391
Daihatsu: 25,391
Honda: 14,168
Isuzu: 4,794

NUMBER OF UNITS PRODUCED LAST FEBRUARY

Suzuki: 86,584
Toyota: 346,215
Nissan: 111,786
Mazda: 70,279
Mitsubishi: 52,205
Subaru: 49,495
Daihatsu: 74,189
Honda: 115,920
Isuzu: 22,666