Sony Corp cut output at five more plants and Toyota Motor delayed restarting assembly lines, as the global supply of parts and products began to feel the full impact of Japan's catastrophic earthquake.
Global electronics and autos companies have been hardest hit by the turmoil, but in an illustration of how the ripples are spreading, Rio Tinto, the world's No 2 iron ore miner behind Brazil's Vale, warned the disruptions posed a threat to its expansion plans.
Miners are already facing longer waits for key equipment as companies ramp up exploration, making shutdowns at plants manufacturing heavy earth-moving equipment and electronics more likely to create additional pressures. Companies from Apple Inc to General Motors Co and Nokia Oyj are feeling the impact.
Toyota, the world's largest automaker, said all 12 Japanese assembly plants would now remain closed until at least Saturday and it was not sure when they would reopen. Production lost between March 14-26 would be about 140,000 units.
Electronics giant Sony said five more of its plants, mostly in central and southern Japan and producing digital and video cameras, televisions and microphones, were hit by parts shortages and would close or cut output until the end of March. A sixth plant north of Tokyo, was set to resume production on Tuesday, but it could be interrupted by rolling blackouts affecting some areas supplied by Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO), which operates the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant.
Including two factories only partially restarted last week, 15 of Sony's 25 Japanese plants are currently affected. It has a total of 54 plants world-wide. Japan's grip on the global electronics supply chain is causing particular concern. It produces around a fifth of the world's computer chips and exported 7.2 trillion yen ($91.3 billion) worth of electronic parts last year, research from Mirae Asset Securities shows.
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