Major Japanese factories shut after Japanese earthquake

The earthquake triggered a 10-metre high tsunami which swept the northern coasts of Japan, and reports have indicated that Toyota, Honda, Subaru and Nissan all suffered damages to their factories located in the area.

Toyota evacuated workers from several factories in the affected zones, which includes two plants in northern Japan and two affiliates, Kanto Auto Works Ltd and Central Motors Co., which assemble small cars in the region. Meanwhile, at least one person is said to have died at Honda's R&D facility in Tochigi, while two Nissan plants reported fires breaking out as a result of the quake.

The shutdown is expected to affect export of vehicles temporarily, with cars such as the Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit and Jazz, Honda CR-V, Honda Accord and Nissan GT-R among those whose factories have been closed. Subaru also shut five factories, while Volvo's truck division, which has a plant in south-eastern Japan, was also forced into shutdown.

The quake struck at 2:46 p.m. local time off the coast of Sendai north of the capital, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. The tremor also triggered a tsunami that flooded coastal areas, and TV footage showed cars being washed down flood zones like toys and large capsized cargo ships tossed sideways, jumbled together and pushed inland.