Toyota Suspends Operations in Japan due to System Malfunction
Toyota, the Japanese auto giant, has temporarily halted operations at all 14 of its factories in the country, including those of its affiliated companies, due to a severe malfunction in its spare parts processing system. The exact cause of the failure is still unknown, though Toyota has ruled out the possibility of a cyber attack. The company has not provided an estimate for when production will resume. [source]
The Minister of Economics, Trade, and Industry of Japan, Hiroshi Nisimur, has stated that the ministry will closely monitor the situation and offer support to the company if needed. He also confirmed that all Toyota plants in Japan have been affected by the malfunction.
The suspended factories include the Motomati plant in the city of Toyota Aita Prefecture, which produces high-class cars, as well as the MIITA plant in the city of Miyavak Prefecture Fukuok, where Lexus cars are manufactured for domestic and international markets, including the USA, Europe, and China.
The employees at the affected plants are hopeful for a prompt resolution to the issue and the resumption of work. This is not the first time that Toyota has had to suspend operations in Japan due to external factors. In March of last year, the company’s factories were also temporarily shut down after one of its suppliers fell victim to a hacker attack.