Toyota shuts down its Japanese factories after reported cyberattack

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

A cyberattack has forced Toyota to shut down its factories in Japan. The company's key supplier of plastic and electronic components was the target of the attack.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters that his government would investigate if Russia was involved in the cyberattack.

The US and other Western allies are trying to impose financial sanctions on Russia because of its invasion of Ukraine. Japan supports blocking some Russian banks from using the international payment system, and will send $100 million in aid to Ukraine.

The company said it was forced to suspend 28 assembly lines at 14 factories because of the attack.

We will work with our suppliers to strengthen the supply chain and make every effort to deliver vehicles to our customers as soon as possible.

There are a number of crises affecting supply in the auto industry, including a global shortage of chips. The results include record high prices for customers and supply chain disruptions. Work shifts have been canceled in response to the automakers idling factories. The shift to electric vehicles has increased the demand for chips and other computer parts, mostly of the high-end varieties that can only be produced by the most advanced Semiconductor Foundries.

Last month, Toyota, the largest automaker in the world, said it expects to miss its annual production target of 9 million vehicles because of the chip shortage.