Supplier Plant Blast Disrupts Toyota Production in Japan

Toyota Motor Corp. has again idled some of its plants in Japan because of a problem with one of its domestic suppliers.

This time the shutdown was caused by an explosion on Monday at brake component maker Aisin Advics Co., a subsidiary of Aisin Seiki Co. The supplier says it is assessing the damage.

Toyota tells news media it hopes to resume output within a few days. The problem affects auto body assembly operations at several factories, including its Motomachi plant and facilities operated by affiliate Daihatsu Motor Co. and Toyota Kyushu, according to Reuters.

In February Toyota idled assembly operations throughout Japan for a week after an explosion at Aichi Steel Corp., a supplier of specialty steel. In mid-April major earthquakes forced the company to shut down 26 assembly lines in Japan, some for more than two weeks.