Honda cuts North American auto production

OTTAWA: Japanese automaker Honda said on Wednesday that a delay in auto parts deliveries from Japan in the wake of the quake and tsunami is forcing it to cut its North American car production. Starting this week, a plant in Alliston, Ontario would see its production line roll out only 300 cars and sport utility vehicles per day, down from 700 per day, Honda Canada vice president Jerry Chenkin said.

"This temporary production adjustment will be effective throughout North American Honda plants," he added. Chenkin declined to identify which components from Japan were affected by March 11 earthquake and tsunami. Stoppages linked to the disasters have affected Honda and Toyota auto assembly plants in the United States, but this is the first general cut in production for a single automaker continent-wide. It comes as Honda prepares to launch a new Civic in North America.