Subaru Corp. said Wednesday it will halt all global auto production for approximately three weeks due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, resulting in a loss in output of 70,000 units.
Subaru will halt manufacturing at its only domestic manufacturing base in Gunma Prefecture, north of Tokyo, from April 11 to May 1 as the coronavirus has hit demand and disrupted parts supply. It will maintain the jobs of 10,000 workers at the plants.
The Gunma plants manufactured the Impreza compact car and Forester sport-utility vehicle for the domestic market and for North America, home to some 70 percent of the automaker’s total global sales.
The automaker also said that it will push back the restart date of its vehicle plant in Indiana in the United States, which has been suspended since March 23, to April 20. It previously planned to resume operations there on April 7.
Subaru joins other major Japanese carmakers including Toyota Motor Corp., Nissan Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co. in halting domestic production due to the coronavirus outbreak.
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