Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Automotive News
  • Automobilwoche
  • Automotive News Canada
  • Automotive News Mexico
Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletters
  • Login
  • HOME
  • News
    • Photos
    • Automakers
    • Suppliers
    • Sales By Market
    • Environment/Emissions
    • Latest Launches
    • Sales and Retail
    • Car Cutaways
    • On The Move
    • China's Baoneng boosts stake in Qoros
      Citroen says Ami One two-seater is a new concept for affordable mobility
      EU, Japan back automatic braking regulation
      German auto jobs at risk from hard Brexit
    • Lidar sector moves at light speed
      Europe's first lithium mine looks to automakers for investment
      Driv spinoff to build smart suspension systems
      Faurecia hopes to outperform uncertain market
    • Porsche, Alfa Romeo and Nissan take big hits as European sales fall 5% in January
      Russia sales rise nearly 1% in January despite VAT increase
      Audi, Fiat, BMW among losers as Spanish sales fall 8% in January
      Volvo, VW gain sales in UK market down nearly 2% in January as diesel plunge continues
    • Volvo blurs the wagon/SUV line with the V60 Cross Country
      view gallery
      7 photos
      New Range Rover Evoque designed for the 'urban jungle'
      Range Rover Evoque gets hybrid tech to cut emissions
      Tarraco gives Seat a flagship SUV to help retain wealthy buyers
    • Ferrari will unveil V-8 hybrid supercar this year
      Mercedes outsold Audi in China last month on sedan demand
      Tesla's Musk visits Norway to review delivery delays
      Europe's minicar segment to shrink as VW, PSA mull axing their smallest cars
    • Suppliers to the new Porsche Panamera
      Suppliers to the new Peugeot 5008
      Suppliers to the new Seat Ibiza
      Suppliers to the new VW Touareg
    • Ford names new chief government relations officer
      Daimler appoints Airbus exec as finance chief
      VW China CEO to join VW brand's management board
      Mini USA names marketing veteran McKenna head of product planning
    • Geneva Photo Gallery
    • Beijing Photo Gallery
    • Frankfurt Photo Gallery
    • Paris Photo Gallery
    • Shanghai Photo Gallery
  • Auto Shows
    • Geneva Auto Show
    • Frankfurt Auto Show
    • Paris Auto Show
    • Beijing Auto Show
    • Shanghai Auto Show
    • Smart to showcase latest mobility services in Geneva show car
      Seat's Cupra Formentor concept focuses on sporty performance
      Peugeot's 508-based Geneva concept previews new range of high-performance electrified vehicles.
      Aston Martin teases new hypercar ahead of Geneva debut
    • Bugatti considers four-door model for 2024
      Frankfurt photo booth
      Frankfurt's best and wurst
      Merkel says German car industry must work to rebuild trust
    • Vietnam's first automaker now has names for first sedan, SUV
      Bugatti mulls SUV as part of broader model range
      Ferrari Monza supercars will earn $755 million in revenue
      China's GAC likely to debut in Europe with an EV
    • VW will launch SOL EV brand in China with subcompact crossover
      view gallery
      9 photos
      BMW's iX3 concept heralds electric expansion
      view gallery
      9 photos
      BMW will export iX3 electric SUV to Europe, U.S. from China
      view gallery
      15 photos
      Mercedes-Maybach is betting on a hybrid SUV-sedan look
    • view gallery
      7 photos
      Jeep finds green groove with plug-in hybrid SUV concept
      Foreign automakers embrace China as EV development hub
      China lands Chevy Volt in a Buick wrapper
      Ferrari, Aston Martin, Maserati sales soar in China as rich snub austerity push
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Luca Ciferri
    • Douglas A. Bolduc
    • Paul McVeigh
    • Is Honda's UK plant closure the beginning of a Japanese Brexit?
      Ford's 'redesign' for Europe emphasizes SUVs, LCVs
      Russia's Google, Yandex, impresses with its self-driving tech
      Renault Twizy gets new life in Korea as motorcycle replacement
    • Is Honda's UK plant closure the beginning of a Japanese Brexit?
      Ford's 'redesign' for Europe emphasizes SUVs, LCVs
      Russia's Google, Yandex, impresses with its self-driving tech
      Renault Twizy gets new life in Korea as motorcycle replacement
    • Lidar sector moves at light speed
      Is Honda's UK plant closure the beginning of a Japanese Brexit?
      Ford's 'redesign' for Europe emphasizes SUVs, LCVs
      Russia's Google, Yandex, impresses with its self-driving tech
    • Is Honda's UK plant closure the beginning of a Japanese Brexit?
      Ford's 'redesign' for Europe emphasizes SUVs, LCVs
      Russia's Google, Yandex, impresses with its self-driving tech
      Renault Twizy gets new life in Korea as motorcycle replacement
  • Maps
    • E-Car & Component Map of Europe
    • Powertrain Map of Europe
    • Assembly Plant Map of Europe
  • Supplements
    • Connected Car
    • Talk From The Top
    • BMW 100
    • Car Cutaways
  • EVENTS & AWARDS
    • Automotive News Europe Congress
    • Rising Stars
    • Eurostars
    • Leading Women
  • E-MAGAZINE
    • Read the latest issue
    • Download the app
    • Subscribe
  • More
    • E-Magazine
    • Contact Us
    • 2019 Media Kit
    • About Us
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Automotive News Europe
March 31, 2011 01:00 AM

Honda targets mid-April factory startup, as Japan's carmakers inch toward recovery

Hans Greimel
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    TOKYO – Honda Motor Co. said it will resume limited vehicle assembly in Japan on April 11, after having its plants offline for four straight weeks, as automakers inch toward recovery following the country's devastating earthquake.

    Honda, which had previously said its two domestic assembly plants would be down at least through April 4, says both the Sayama and Suzuka factories will be running by April 11. Honda cautioned that restored vehicle assembly in Japan will continue at only half of its normal rate.

    The company will also resume production of parts and replacement parts on April 4 for shipment overseas. That move should help alleviate parts shortages in North America, where Honda has said it will cut output by as much as half amid stalled deliveries from Japan.

    Mazda Motor Corp. also announced it would resume limited assembly at both of its Japanese passenger car plants on April 4 – with newly obtained parts.

    Mazda is currently operating only one plant, its Hiroshima factory, and all production until now has been based on parts in stock. It did not say when full production would restart.

    Modest progress

    Nissan Motor Co. said it was targeting "normal" production by mid-April. Japan's No. 2 automaker also sees supply lines of new parts being at least partially restored by then, though the company is closing its five domestic assembly plants next week while suppliers regroup.

    Separately, Suzuki said it would keep its small car factory and truck plant running through Saturday, for an additional two days. But its main Sagara large car plant, which makes the Kizashi sedan and SX4 for export to the United States, will remain offline indefinitely.

    Mitsubishi also planned to have all three of its plants running Thursday and Friday.

    Carmakers are making modest progress in keeping plants open or forecasting a return to production with newly supplied parts as a vague timeline for returning to normalcy takes shape. Mid-April is now emerging as the time when steady, albeit limited, output may fire up.

    Toyota Motor Co. is among the companies expected to try reopening plants then.

    A Toyota Motor Corp. supplier said his company was informed by a Toyota purchasing executive that the bulk of the Toyota and Lexus assembly plants will remain suspended at least until April 14. That followed a Reuters report saying they would be down until April 11.

    The only production underway this week is for the Toyota Prius and Lexus HS250h and Lexus CT 200h hybrids. The rest of Toyota's 18 domestic assembly plants remain closed.

    Still on hold is vehicle assembly at Subaru-maker Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. It said Thursday that it was extending downtime of full-sized vehicle production at its main plant in Gumma through at least April 5. That plant makes the Subaru Forester, Impreza and Legacy.

    Monthly E-Magazine
    Thumbnail
    View latest issue
    See our archive
    Sign up for free newsletters
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Get Free Newsletters

    Sign up and get the best of Automotive News Europe delivered straight to your email inbox, free of charge. Choose your news – we will deliver.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Automotive News Europe Monthly E-Magazine

    Sign up to receive your free link to each monthly issue of Automotive News Europe as soon as it's published.

    GET THE E-MAGAZINE
    Connect with Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Instagram

    Founded in 1996, Automotive News Europe is the preferred information source for decision-makers and opinion leaders operating in Europe.

    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit MI  48207-2997
    Tel: +1 877-812-1584


    Email Us

    Resources
    • About us
    • Contact Us
    • 2019 Media Kit
    • Advertise with Us
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Awards
    • Rising Stars
    • Eurostars
    • Leading Women
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    Copyright © 1996-2019. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • HOME
    • News
      • Photos
        • Geneva Photo Gallery
        • Beijing Photo Gallery
        • Frankfurt Photo Gallery
        • Paris Photo Gallery
        • Shanghai Photo Gallery
      • Automakers
      • Suppliers
      • Sales By Market
      • Environment/Emissions
      • Latest Launches
      • Sales and Retail
      • Car Cutaways
      • On The Move
    • Auto Shows
      • Geneva Auto Show
      • Frankfurt Auto Show
      • Paris Auto Show
      • Beijing Auto Show
      • Shanghai Auto Show
    • Opinion
      • Blogs
      • Luca Ciferri
      • Douglas A. Bolduc
      • Paul McVeigh
    • Maps
      • E-Car & Component Map of Europe
      • Powertrain Map of Europe
      • Assembly Plant Map of Europe
    • Supplements
      • Connected Car
      • Talk From The Top
      • BMW 100
      • Car Cutaways
    • EVENTS & AWARDS
      • Automotive News Europe Congress
      • Rising Stars
      • Eurostars
      • Leading Women
    • E-MAGAZINE
      • Read the latest issue
      • Download the app
      • Subscribe
    • More
      • E-Magazine
      • Contact Us
      • 2019 Media Kit
      • About Us