Technical issue halts production at 14 Toyota factories in Japan

Home > Industry Analysis > Content

【Summary】A computer glitch shut down operations at all of Toyota's 14 vehicle assembly plants in Japan. The malfunction affected the company's ability to order parts and caused delays in the production of 13,000 vehicles. There is no evidence to suggest that the glitch was caused by hackers, although an investigation is underway. This incident follows previous cyberattacks on Toyota and comes amid a rise in cybercrimes in Japan.

FutureCar Staff Aug 29, 2023 7:08 AM PT

Technical issue halts production at 14 Toyota factories in Japan

A computer malfunction caused Toyota to shut down operations at all 14 of its vehicle assembly plants in Japan on Tuesday. However, officials do not believe that hackers were responsible for the issue. The malfunction resulted in the inability to order parts and components for the production lines at the 14 sites, causing a delay in the delivery of 13,000 new vehicles. Technicians are currently working to fix the problem, and it is unclear when operations will return to normal. Prior to suspending operations at the Miyata plant in Fukuoka and Daihatsu Motor's plant in Kyoto, workers were sent home early from a dozen manufacturing facilities.

An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the computer malfunction. Toyota officials have stated that there is currently no evidence to suggest that the issue was caused by a cyberattack, despite a recent increase in cybercrimes in Asia. In July, a cyberattack forced Toyota to temporarily close the Port of Nagoya, a major shipping hub for the company. A similar incident occurred in February 2022 when hackers breached Kojima Industries, a major parts supplier, resulting in the shutdown of Toyota's facilities for several days.

The timing of the computer glitch at Toyota has raised speculation due to an ongoing territorial dispute between Japan and China. This dispute centers around Tokyo's decision to release treated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean. Some have suggested that the glitch may be related to this dispute, potentially involving Beijing. However, no concrete evidence has been presented to support this claim.

Cybercrime has been on the rise in Japan, with a significant increase in hacking incidents in 2022 compared to the previous year. Japan's National Police Agency reported 12,369 new cybercrime cases under investigation, which is 160 more incidents than the previous year. Ransomware attacks have also seen a 58% increase since 2021, with small and medium-sized businesses being the primary targets. Suppliers who provide parts for companies like Toyota have become attractive targets for cybercriminals due to the potential for a higher payout.