Nissan Patrol, X-Trail and Toyota factories hit by Japan earthquake

Toyota, Lexus and Nissan have partially suspended production at several of their domestic manufacturing plants following an earthquake in southwest Japan earlier this week, with a series of aftershocks hampering rescue efforts.

The magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, where at least 30 people have been confirmed dead and more than twice that number injured.

According to Automotive News, Nissan, Toyota and its premium brand Lexus all have manufacturing facilities in northern Kyushu, each of which has scaled back operations in the wake of the disaster.

The Nissan Shatai Kyushu plant builds the Nissan Patrol, including vehicles destined for Australian showrooms.

Nearby, Nissan Motor Kyushu manufactures the X-Trail mid-size SUV – Nissan Australia's best-selling model – including the recently announced Rock Creek edition.

"Nissan Motor Kyushu and Nissan Shatai Kyushu have partially suspended production this week due to earthquake-related parts supply delays," a Nissan Australia spokesperson told CarExpert..

"At this stage, we have not received any information to suggest there will be any interruption to the supply of vehicles destined for Australia. However, the situation remains fluid, and we will continue to monitor developments closely."

Toyota manufactures engines and hybrid powertrains at two plants in the region, while Lexus assembles the UX, NX and RX SUVs, as well as the ES sedan, at its Kyushu factory for export to Australia.

"Due to the impact of the earthquake, considering safety, logistics and supplier status, we have suspended operations for the second shift," a Toyota spokesperson told Automotive News.

"We are currently confirming if there is any impact on logistics or suppliers."

Japanese automakers have been heavily affected by previous earthquakes, most notably the magnitude 9.0 Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami in 2011.

The disaster disrupted production from Toyota, Nissan, Subaru and Honda, while Mazda was also forced to halt manufacturing because of widespread supply chain interruptions.

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