Japan Earthquake Forces Lexus Plant Pause As Nissan Keeps Building

Act of God

As much as automotive manufacturers try to control and keep production running at all costs, there are some instances where the unavoidable happens. In most cases, it takes an “Act of God,” like a natural disaster, to disrupt production.

Japan is one of the most heavily affected regions of the world when it comes to earthquakes; a recent one was sizeable enough that some Japanese automakers have announced some changes to their production in the affected areas.

7.1 Magnitude

Last July 28, 2026, a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck the Kumamoto region in southwestern Japan. Such was the magnitude of the quake that it caused infrastructure damage, disrupted flights and train travel, and even caused a small Tsunami. Automotive News reports that some of Japan’s biggest automakers have announced that this quake is going to affect their production in the region.

Toyota and Nissan both have manufacturing facilities in the affected region, located around 93 miles from the earthquake’s epicenter. In the former’s case, Lexus suspended its second-shift operations in the Kanda engine plant and the Kokura hybrid powertrain plant. A brand representative was quoted as saying that they made the decision to suspend the second shift due to safety concerns. Pending evaluation, Toyota plans to resume Lexus’ operation in the area by July 29.

Powering Through

Nissan’s Shatai Kyushu plant will continue production pending further monitoring of the situation, a spokesperson said. The Nissan plants located in the area are responsible for producing a number of important nameplates like the Infiniti QX80 SUV, Nissan Armada, and Nissan Patrol. Furthermore, the Kyushu facility also builds the Kicks e-Power, Serena e-Power van, X-Trail crossover, and the recently launched new-generation Elgrand.

Given the importance of these models to Nissan’s global and local sales, it’s no surprise they chose to keep things moving. The good news is that both Nissan and Toyota say that no injuries were reported during the quake.