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Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. stopped production of seven production lines at five factories in Japan, including Aichi Prefecture and Fukuoka Prefecture, Kyodo News reported. This is due to the sharp drop in overseas demand affected by the COVID-19 epidemic. According to the shutdown plan announced by Toyota, the plant will stop production up to the 15th of this month.

Toyota said the affected plants included the Takaoka plant in Toyota City, the Tsutsumi plant, the Takahara plant and the Miyada plant in Kyushu, as well as a Hamura plant run by the Hino truck branch.

Factories and production lines that have ceased production are engaged in export business. Toyota said the adjustment plan would reduce its production by about 36000 vehicles, and the outbreak is expected to hit its global sales.

Among them, the greatest impact on the Chinese market and Chinese consumers is the disruption of the production and supply of Lexus-branded cars. As we all know, all Lexus-branded cars sold in China rely on imports.

Toyota's Miyada plant in Kyushu will stop production from April 3 to 15, the longest. The factory is responsible for the production of Lexus CT, ES, NX, UX, RX and other models, with an output of more than 90 per cent supplied to overseas markets and mainly exported to China.

At the same time, because this part of the model produced by the factory is a hot-selling model in the Chinese market, the suspension of production will affect the pick-up time of Chinese consumers.

The production line at the Tanahara plant, which produces models such as the 4Runner, Landcool Road Zeprado, Lexus GS and Lexus LC200, will be closed between April 3 and April 10. In addition, the plant's production lines for Lexus LS, NX, IS and RC will be closed from April 3 to April 14.

Due to the spread of the epidemic in other countries, leading to the cessation of production and sales activities, most car factories will be closed for some time in the future. Toyota has announced the closure of all its plants in Europe, production in North America will be suspended for two weeks from March 23, and temporary closures will be taken at plants in the Philippines and Malaysia. At the same time, due to the continued spread of the epidemic, a number of car companies have to consider new measures to delay the resumption of work.

Mazda, another Japanese carmaker, has also adopted a shutdown plan, suspending its two production plants in Japan, its assembly plant in Mexico and its plant in Thailand. This is mainly due to the impact of the global COVID-19 epidemic and falling global car demand and supply chain disruptions.

As governments adopt measures such as travel controls, global economic activity is in the doldrums and the impact on performance seems inevitable. Toyota actually exported about 2.1 million vehicles in 2019, up 11.3% from the previous year and rising for three consecutive years. Exports to North America, Europe and China grew. However, affected by the COVID-19 epidemic, the global car purchase demand declined, the impact also spread to domestic production.

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