Production of the Toyota Prius is pictured in Japan.
TOKYO -- Toyota has halted production at two factories in Japan due to a supply shortage, a spokesperson told Reuters on Thursday.
The stoppage means that Toyota cannot return to normal operations in December as it had originally planned.
The automaker had previously said that it hoped to return to normal production for the first time in seven months in December, after supply shortages disrupted production.
Production at the factories was halted on Wednesday and the suspension is expected to continue for about three days, the spokesperson told Reuters, who added this was prompted by a supply-chain disruption in Japan as well as a lack of labor in Vietnam due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The company expects a production fall of 3,500 vehicles from the stoppage but will keep its target to produce nine million vehicles worldwide during the financial year ending on March 31, the spokesperson said.(Reuters)