Japan auto makers eye output at weekend
By Yuri Kageyama |
May 20, 2011, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
Japanese auto makers are going to be producing cars over the weekend and taking Thursday and Friday off to avoid blackouts from a power crunch caused by problem nuclear reactors.
Toshiyuki Shiga, chairman of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association and chief operating officer of Nissan Motor Co, told reporters yesterday the plan, which includes auto-parts suppliers, kicks off in July, August and September - the peak months for electricity use in Japan.
The government has asked major companies to reduce electricity use by 15 percent. The March 11 earthquake and tsunami hobbled the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in northeastern Japan, sending three reactors into meltdowns.
The Hamaoka nuclear plant is also being shut down because of safety fears, further crimping energy resources.
"We need to respond with a sense of crisis to the power shortage," said Shiga.
Nuclear energy provides a third of Japan's electricity. As measures to battle the power shortage, Tokyo buildings have toned down lighting, stores are closing sooner, and commuters are trudging up and down stairs instead of using escalators and elevators.
At home, people are being urged to endure room temperature of 28 degrees Celsius, use fans instead of air conditioners and unplug personal computers and other gadgets.
Masataka Kunugimoto, auto analyst at Nomura Securities Co, said the plan to move weekday production to the weekend was a good one, and urged other sectors to do the same, but take other days of the week off.
"The number of companies in the auto industry is relatively few and so they could unite on the plan," he said. "It will definitely work as a plus for the electricity supply."
The expected power crunch is yet another challenge for Japanese auto makers, which are all running at reduced output after the quake damaged some 500 parts suppliers in northeastern Japan.
Toyota Motor Corp and Honda Motor Co are not expecting to return to pre-disaster production levels until late this year, while Yokohama-based Nissan is targeting October.
Auto output in Japan was already stagnating from a 20-year slowdown when the 9.0 magnitude quake struck.
Toshiyuki Shiga, chairman of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association and chief operating officer of Nissan Motor Co, told reporters yesterday the plan, which includes auto-parts suppliers, kicks off in July, August and September - the peak months for electricity use in Japan.
The government has asked major companies to reduce electricity use by 15 percent. The March 11 earthquake and tsunami hobbled the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in northeastern Japan, sending three reactors into meltdowns.
The Hamaoka nuclear plant is also being shut down because of safety fears, further crimping energy resources.
"We need to respond with a sense of crisis to the power shortage," said Shiga.
Nuclear energy provides a third of Japan's electricity. As measures to battle the power shortage, Tokyo buildings have toned down lighting, stores are closing sooner, and commuters are trudging up and down stairs instead of using escalators and elevators.
At home, people are being urged to endure room temperature of 28 degrees Celsius, use fans instead of air conditioners and unplug personal computers and other gadgets.
Masataka Kunugimoto, auto analyst at Nomura Securities Co, said the plan to move weekday production to the weekend was a good one, and urged other sectors to do the same, but take other days of the week off.
"The number of companies in the auto industry is relatively few and so they could unite on the plan," he said. "It will definitely work as a plus for the electricity supply."
The expected power crunch is yet another challenge for Japanese auto makers, which are all running at reduced output after the quake damaged some 500 parts suppliers in northeastern Japan.
Toyota Motor Corp and Honda Motor Co are not expecting to return to pre-disaster production levels until late this year, while Yokohama-based Nissan is targeting October.
Auto output in Japan was already stagnating from a 20-year slowdown when the 9.0 magnitude quake struck.
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