And why is this NHK WORLD English business report here on H5N1? Read the excerpt:
Japanese automaker Honda says it will slash production in North America by 50 percent due to parts shortages caused by flooding in Thailand.
Honda announced on Monday that output at all 6 of its assembly plants in the United States and Canada will be cut in half from November 2nd through 10th. The company also said that it will stop all production in North America for one day on November 11th.
The decision comes as Honda is struggling to boost sluggish sales in North American markets. The company was forced to reduce production earlier this year because of parts shortages caused by the March 11th disaster in northeastern Japan.
If supply shortages from flooding in Thailand continue, it could seriously affect Honda's operations in North America. The introduction of a new version of a popular SUV scheduled for December could be delayed by several weeks as well.
