TOKYO -- Disruptions to suppliers caused by the COVID-19 pandemic could force fresh production cuts at Japanese automakers in October, Akio Toyoda, who heads Japan's auto industry lobby group, said Thursday.
Japanese car companies have already had to cut production this month because of difficulties finding semiconductors and other components as the pandemic disrupts manufacturing around the world and drives up demand for chips from consumer electronic device makers.
"Depending on the manufacturer, we could see production cut to a lower level in October," said Toyoda, who leads the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association and is president of Toyota Motor Corp.
Toyota cut global production in September by 40 percent from planned levels, joining other big global automaker that have already slowed output to cope with the shortage.
