Typhoon Roke Causes Auto Factories to Close

Japan is cleaning up from the 15^th typhoon that has hit the country this year. The storm has downgraded to a low pressure system shortly after making landfall on Wednesday, September 23. It caused Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi factories to close to allow familes to evacuate from the storm.

As of Thursday, Japan is still experiencing heavy rainfall, mudslides and flooding. The death toll so far is 12 with six other people still unaccounted for.

There is no word yet as to when the auto factories will reopen, but given that power is out in portions of the country and the clean up is still underway, it will likely be at least another few days.

The factories also had to close in March during the tsunami that hit Japan. It has caused chaos for Japanese automakers because even factories abroad rely on components made at these locations meaning that some foreign factories even had to work at less than capacity.  

Source: Environment News Service and Mainichi Daily News