Toyota to Curb More Production in Japan as COVID Spreads

Toyota to Curb More Production in Japan as COVID Spreads
The Toyota logo is seen at its booth during a media day for the Auto Shanghai show in Shanghai, China, on April 19, 2021. (Aly Song/Reuters)
Reuters
1/21/2022
Updated:
1/21/2022

TOKYO—Toyota Motor Corp is slowing production at as many as 11 plants in Japan because of rising COVID-19 infections among its workers and those at parts suppliers, it said on Thursday.

That disruption, which comes amid a shortage of semiconductors that is already forcing it to curb output, could cut production plans this month by about 47,000 vehicles, a Toyota spokesperson said.

Toyota on Tuesday said it expects to fall short of an annual target to build 9 million vehicles because it did not have enough chips. The company’s business year ends on March 31.

There has been a surge in cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant in Japan since the start of the year. Daily coronavirus cases on Thursday rose to a record 46,199.

By Maki Shiraki and Tim Kelly