Honda Japan workers to take 14 extra days off amid parts shortages
Production at Honda’s Saitama and Suzuka plants will pause for 14 additional days between June and August 2011 as the company manages earthquake-related supply chain disruption.
Honda has told workers at its Japanese plants to take 14 additional days off between June and August 2011, as the company continues to face parts shortages caused by the earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern Japan in March of that year.
The move affects all production at Honda's Saitama and Suzuka car plants, and part of the output at the Hamamatsu motorcycle plant. Workers will take one extra day off in June, ten in July and three in August. Honda has said these lost production days will be made up later in the financial year, once supply constraints ease.
Earthquake impact on Honda's supply chain
The March 11 disaster damaged hundreds of automotive suppliers, forcing Honda and other Japanese manufacturers to reduce output. Honda does not expect to return to normal production levels until late 2011. The company has also warned workers and the union that further days off may be required if parts shortages persist, though no additional details have been set.
Industry-wide disruption and energy-saving measures
Japanese carmakers have adopted further measures to manage the ongoing crisis. For July through September, Honda and its peers plan to work weekends and take Thursdays and Fridays off, aligning with government requests to reduce electricity use by 15 percent during the summer peak. This change is designed to minimise the risk of blackouts as the country faces power shortages following the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant disaster and the shutdown of the Hamaoka nuclear plant for safety reasons.
- Honda: 14-day summer shutdown at Saitama, Suzuka, part of Hamamatsu
- Toyota: plants and offices closed Thursdays and Fridays, July–September 2011
Honda apologised for the inconvenience to suppliers and dealers, noting that coordination across the sector is necessary for national recovery efforts. The company has not specified the precise impact on vehicle output, but the additional shutdowns underline the scale of disruption facing Japan’s automotive supply chain.
What it means for Honda workers and production
Affected workers will make up the lost days later in the financial year, so annual pay is not expected to change. However, the temporary shutdowns will delay vehicle deliveries and could affect Honda’s domestic and export supply through at least the autumn. The company has left open the possibility of further closures if parts shortages continue.
For more on the earthquake’s impact on Japanese carmakers, seeS&P Lowers Outlook for Six Japanese Carmakers After Earthquake Disruption
