Toyota Motor will halt production at its Russian factory from Friday while vehicle imports into the country have also stopped indefinitely because of the supply chain disruptions, the automaker said.
The automaker joins other Japanese automakers that have taken or flagged similar moves, also mentioning the difficulty in procuring parts and other logistical hurdles.
Some Western automakers have spurned Russia following its special operation in Ukraine, with some saying they would exit investments there, but the response of many Japanese automakers is silent as of yet.
“Like everyone around the world, Toyota is watching the ongoing developments in Ukraine with great concern for the safety of people of Ukraine and hopes for a safe return to peace as soon as possible,” the automakers said.
Toyota is Russia’s top Japanese brand, making the production of about 80,000 vehicles at its St. Petersburg plant which has hired 2,000 staff.
Mazda Motor, which sold 30,000 cars in Russia last year, said exports of parts to its joint venture plant in Vladivostok is coming to an end soon.
Mitsubishi Motor may suspend production and sales in the country, it said, mentioning potential supply chain disruptions as a result of sanctions on the country.
Honda Motor said the difficulty in shipping vehicles and making payments resulted in the suspension of exports of cars and motorcycles to Russia, although sales amounted to just 1,406 cars in the 2020 financial year.
Nissan Motor, which sold 53,000 vehicles in the last year, said it was continuing operations in the country for now while monitoring the situation there.
Autos and auto parts comprise over half of Japan’s exports to Russia in 2020, according to the finance ministry.
