Kumamoto Earthquake Halts Japanese Auto Production

A magnitude‑7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan, killing 18 people and damaging infrastructure. The tremor forced major automakers—including Toyota, Nissan, Daihatsu, Mitsubishi and Honda—to suspend production at multiple plants in Kyushu and on Honshu. Toyota, Nissan and Daihatsu extended shutdowns for two days, while Mitsubishi’s Mizushima plant, which builds the Outlander Sport for the U.S. market, halted after supplier facilities were damaged. Honda also paused operations at two sites, though they do not produce cars. Supply‑chain disruptions affected parts makers such as Aisin Corp., which is working to restore its Kumamoto subsidiary, and other component factories. Semiconductor producers like Renesas Electronics and Sony’s image‑sensor plant are beginning staged resumptions, but full recovery is uncertain.