Japanese automakers assess quake impact

Japan's automakers are assessing the impact on their U.S. assembly plants of a powerful earthquake that shook central Japan on Monday and damaged the facilities of a major supplier.

Toyota Motor Corp. halted production at its Japanese assembly plants today and could not say when it would resume full production.

A spokesman said Toyota's North American operations had not been affected. Except for the pickup plant in Texas, Toyota's North American assembly plants are idled this week for the summer shutdown.

"There's no immediate impact," said Victor Vanov, a spokesman for Toyota's U.S. manufacturing headquarters in Erlanger, Ky. "However, we're investigating."

Riken, whose factory in the city of Kashiwazaki was badly damaged by the 6.8-magnitude earthquake, produces piston rings for engines and transmission components for several Japanese automakers. More at Detroit News