TOKYO – Toyota’s global car production, disrupted by parts shortages from Japan’s earthquake and tsunami, won’t return to normal until November or December – imperiling its spot as the world’s top-selling automaker.
President Akio Toyoda apologized to customers for the delays because of the March 11 disasters that damaged suppliers in northeastern Japan, affecting automakers around the world.
“To all the customers who made the decision to buy a vehicle made by us, I sincerely apologize for the enormous delay in delivery,” Toyoda said at a news conference in Tokyo.
Toyota Motor Corp. earlier said it has suffered a production loss of 260,000 cars. Earlier this week, it resumed car production at all of its plants in Japan for the first time since the quake, but the factories are running at half capacity because of the parts shortages. Japanese manufacturers also are grappling with power shortages.
Aftershocks from the magnitude 9.0 quake have slowed progress, Toyoda said.