Will we have trouble getting spare parts ?

Can't see why, as most of the Japanese manufacturers are down south. The electronic companies produce most of the CE ( consumer electronics) products in southern China ( shenzen region)

It will be imperative for the Japanese economy to keep and get business going as soon as possible.

Mike,
According to those on this site you won't run out of Toyota parts, they never break down or wear out, so the parts are never needed.

It's a bit of a different story with Nissan, there aren't many grenade motors in Aust, but everything else Nissan will be OK too.

Sony, aren't they a throw away product, given the cost of repair it's usually cheaper to buy a new one.

Honda.............just park it in the shed and start saving.

Disco.

Howdy Mike - Unfortunately the world needs wars and major disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, fires, droughts etc to keep all the economies up and running ! Businesses nearly always bounce back bigger and better afterwards and if they don't there is always another company that will set up to take over where the others have failed. Whilst this tragic event in Japan is very very sad for many reasons it will, in time, be a shot in the arm for their economy down the track. Should any of the major companies suspend their operations it certainly won't be for long as their product will be more in demand - especially over there !

All the best

Gazz

ps spent 4 weeks in Japan not so long ago - great place - lovely people !!

I think it would be better to focus on the devastation of lives, families and communities and all do what we can to help rather than worrying about parts. The Japanese economy has been in trouble for years so they will need all the help they can get. Michael

Although the heavy industry and vehicle assembly plants are in the south, car component assemblies can be produced in much smaller factories and then delivered to the assembly plant.

e.g. The air-conditioning ductwork might be produced in a small-town factory anywhere in Japan.

So spare parts availability may be affected by problems in the north.

Even factories well away from the tsunami will be impacted, because there is a shortage of electricity and they're introducing rolling blackouts in the north to manage it.

Quote from Japan Times

"Vehicle manufacturers to cut output at plants - Kyodo News

Hino Motors Ltd. and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. joined six other automakers Sunday in announcing a temporary suspension of domestic production due to difficulty procuring parts following Friday's massive earthquake, company officials said Sunday.

Also Sunday, the government urged large companies to limit electricity use amid fears of supply disruptions in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake, which has crippled nuclear power plants in the northeast.

The automakers will suspend production staring Monday. Other automakers, including Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co., have also decided to close their plants Monday due to difficulties in procuring parts.

Hino, the Toyota group's truck and bus unit, will suspend output Monday at all of its three plants in Tokyo and Gunma prefectures, but has not decided when to resume operations, officials said.

Mitsubishi Motors said it will suspend production at all three of its plants that make finished cars Monday and Tuesday because it is unable to fully assess the situations faced by its five or six parts manufacturers in the Tohoku region.

The Mitsubishi plants subject to closure are in Aichi, Okayama and Gifu prefectures. The automaker has not decided whether to resume production on Wednesday or later.

Nissan Motor Co., Daihatsu Motor Co., Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corp. and UD Trucks Corp. have also decided to suspend production at their plants Monday.

Meanwhile, Yoshikatsu Nakayama, parliamentary secretary of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, asked in a meeting with officials of the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren), the nation's biggest business lobby, that companies cut back on the use of air conditioners, lighting and hot-water supply for business purposes and neon lighting at night.

Nakayama also requested that manufacturers consider shifting production to areas outside the damaged regions in Tohoku and Kanto, and won the cooperation of Nippon Keidanren.

Yoshio Nakamura, director general of Nippon Keidanren, said, "We would like to convey the request to member companies and those concerned," adding, "We'd like the government to make all-out efforts now to help people who are affected by the disaster." "