Anti-Japan Protests In China Cause Honda, Mazda, Nissan To Suspend Production

The stoppage will see a total of four Honda plants go dark for two days, thanks in part to the fact that local dealers have been under attack and can't receive shipments. Mazda, meanwhile, plans to close its facility in Nanjing for a total of four days, starting on Tuesday. The report sites Luo Lei, the deputy secretary general of the China Automobile Dealers Association, as saying many dealerships have shut down after a few were vandalized. One dealership saw a Honda Civic set on fire in Shanghai.

Lei also said buyers are boycotting Japanese goods, especially cars, over safety concerns.

Honda and Mazda aren't alone, either. Toyota and Panasonic both reported fire damage at their facilities, and one Toyota dealership was set ablaze as well. Protesters overturned cars and smashed windshields in some cities as well, as the September 18 anniversary of the Manchurian Incident approaches. The date marks the anniversary of Japan's invasion into northeastern China in 1931.