Kumamoto quake exposes Kyushu auto supply-chain fault lines

Japan's July 28 Kumamoto earthquake disrupted vehicle and component production across Kyushu, forcing Toyota Motor Kyushu, Honda Motor, Nissan Motor and major suppliers to halt or curtail output while assessing factory damage, parts availability and logistics. The stoppages spread beyond Kumamoto into Fukuoka and Oita, exposing the vulnerability of the region's tightly sequenced automotive network.