TOKYO — Automotive News has reported that Japan’s seven big automakers are extending nationwide production shutdowns amid growing concern about supply chain interruptions, power shortages and export difficulties following the massive earthquake and tsunami that hammered northern Japan, killing thousands.

Toyota Motor Corp., one of the few automakers with a major manufacturing presence in the quake zone, suspended all manufacturing – at both assembly and parts plants – on Monday and extended the shutdown through at least Wednesday as an added precaution, Automotive News has reported.

The company will lose output of roughly 40,000 vehicles over the three-day period, according to the report.

Carmakers are halting production – even at plants not affected by Friday’s 8.9-magnitude monster quake – partly to give workers time to regroup with families. Thousands of people in northern Japan are still unaccounted for, as authorities predict a death toll exceeding 10,000.

But the country’s supply chain has also been slammed – with automakers still unable to make contact with some parts makers in the quake zone three days after Friday’s disaster. There is also concern about export shipments being interrupted by tsunami damage to the nation’s ports.

U.S. production may also be affected if plants there can’t get parts normally imported from Japan, the publication noted.

Nissan has also issued a statement reporting that, in total, six of its facilities in Japan have reported some damage to their buildings or equipment, including Iwaki Plant (Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture), Tochigi Plant (Kawachi County, Tochigi Prefecture), Yokohama Plant (Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture), Oppama Plant (Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture), Zama Operations Center (Zama City, Kanagawa Prefecture) and Honmoku Wharf (Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture).

All Nissan Americas employees and their families are safe and have been accounted for, the statement noted. However, some vehicle damage has occurred. Some U.S. and Canadian-bound vehicles at the Port of Hitachi, Ibaraki Prefecture and other vehicles stored at the Miyagi Service Center (Tagajo City, Miyagi Prefecture) were damaged due to the earthquake and/or tsunami.

Tire Review magazine, a sister publication to aftermarketNews, also has been gathering information on how the earthquake and subsequent tsunami have impacted tire-making operations in the country.

Toyo
The company has a tire plant in Sendai, much of which was flattened by the tsunami. However, the parent company in Japan, over the signature of Toyo CEO Kenji Nakakura, issued the following statement late on Saturday:

“To the many victims and victims’ families of the earthquake of March 11, 2011, we wish to express our deepest condolences.

“Within the Toyo Tires group, our facility in Northern Japan (Sendai) was directly affected by this earthquake. Immediately following the earthquake, the company established an emergency crisis center. Currently, the center is verifying the safety and welfare of all of our employees and their families, and taking appropriate steps to respond to this crisis.

“At the present time, neither the Sendai nor our other manufacturing plants in Japan have been affected by the tsunami, and there has not been any significant earthquake damage to our plant building or facilities. However, due to a power outage, the Sendai plant has temporarily been shut down. Once power is restored, and the safety of the plant facility has been confirmed, the company plans to restore operations, but it is not yet clear when this will happen.

“Likewise, it is not yet known what the company’s financial losses or the impact to business results will be from this earthquake. The company will provide periodic updates as it achieves an understanding of the situation.”

Bridgestone
Bridgestone Corp., which is headquartered in Tokyo, vowed to donate some $3.5 million in cash, bicycles and clothing to aid victims of the disaster. The company claimed no major damage or injuries at any of its 24 facilities in Japan, five of which were in the northern part of the country. However, Bridgestone said it had suspended operations at some of its Japan plants to conduct safety inspections.

Bridgestone Americas said that all employees currently in Japan on business have been accounted for and are safe.

In two Twitter posts on Friday, Bridgestone Americas reported: “Update: teammates at Tokyo headquarters said doesn’t appear 2 b critical damage to the facility. Will update as we get more info” and later “Update: Good news! No reports of injuries to teammates at headquarters, and all BSAM teammates currently in Japan are safe.”

Sumitomo
Sumitomo Rubber Industries said its Shirakawa factory in hard-hit Fukushima prefecture had been shut down due to a loss of power. The facility was being inspected for damage, and no injuries were reported. Other reports said that the plant sustained some damage, but the extent was unknown.

Power outages in Tokyo left some Sumitomo employees stranded in that city for part of the weekend.

Yokohama
Yokohama is headquartered near Tokyo and has several facilities in that area. As of early Saturday, officials at Yokohama Tire Corp. were still seeking confirmation of the status of company facilities and family members.

Michelin
Some Michelin North America employees were in Japan on business, but the tiremaker reported that they were safe and accounted for. Groupe Michelin facilities in Japan did not sustain significant damage.