Reuters
TOKYO, Jan 20 (Reuters) – (This Jan. 19 story has been corrected after Toyota corrects number of affected plants to 12 from 11)
Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) is slowing production at as many as 12 plants in Japan because of rising COVID-19 infections among its workers and those at parts suppliers, it said on Thursday.
That disruption, which comes amid a shortage of semiconductors that is already forcing it to curb output, could cut production plans this month by about 47,000 vehicles, a Toyota spokesperson said.
Toyota on Tuesday said it expects to fall short of an annual target to build 9 million vehicles because it did not have enough chips. The company’s business year ends on March 31.
There has been a surge in cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant in Japan since the start of the year. Daily coronavirus cases on Thursday rose to a record 46,199.
