Companies Halt Operations in Western Japan after Quake

June 19, 2018

Osaka- Many companies in the Kinki western Japan region suspended operations Monday to check for possible damage and confirm the safety of their employees after a strong earthquake rocked the region in the morning.

Daihatsu Motor Co. halted operations at a plant in Ikeda, Osaka Prefecture, and another in Oyamazaki, Kyoto Prefecture, neighboring Osaka. Both plants produce small vehicles.

Kracie Holdings Ltd. suspended the production of Chinese herbal medicines and other products at two plants in the Osaka city of Takatsuki due to damage from the quake.

Panasonic Corp. stopped operations at a welding machine factory in Toyonaka, also in Osaka, after production machines were moved from their fixed positions due to the quake. The company also suspended production bases in Takatsuki and Kadoma, another Osaka city.

Operations at agricultural and construction machinery maker Kubota Corp.'s  Hirakata plant in the prefecture were halted.

Mitsubishi Motors Corp.  suspended operations at a plant in the city of Kyoto and another in the city of Konan, Shiga Prefecture, east of Kyoto.

Air conditioner maker Daikin Industries Ltd.  halted operations at its Yodogawa plant in Settsu, Osaka, and its Kanaoka plant in Sakai in the same prefecture.

Honda Motor Co.  and Sharp Corp. were restarting or preparing to resume suspended factories.

Other affected factories include Suntory Holdings Ltd. facilities, such as the Yamazaki Distillery for whisky production in Shimamoto, Osaka, and confectionery factories of the Ezaki Glico Co.  group in the city of Osaka and the nearby city of Kobe.

Fixed-line and mobile telephone services were affected in some areas.

Department store operator J. Front Retailing Co.  kept three outlets, including the Daimaru Shinsaibashi store in the city of Osaka, shut throughout the day. A similar measure was taken at some retail outlets of H2O Retailing Corp..

In the banking industry, Aeon Bank, SMBC Trust Bank and Kansai Urban Banking Corp. suspended operations of part of their branches.

Universal Studios Japan, also in the city of Osaka, delayed its opening by 100 minutes and kept some attractions shut for the day. Jiji Press