Major Japanese Consumer Electronics Companies are tonight assessing the potential damage, to their manufacturing operations, with Sharp, Panasonic and Mitsubishi set to be hit by major shutdowns and disruptions to their distribution operations.
Last night Japan was struck by its strongest earthquake in at least a century, an 8.9-magnitude temblor that shook buildings across Tokyo and unleashed a tsunami as high as 10 metres, engulfing towns along the northern coast.
Sanyo, Sharp and Panasonic have already suspended operations at several of their plants. The brand new multibillion dollar Sharp LED display plant in Sakai, which has been designed to handle earthquakes automatically shut down when the first earthquake, tremor was detected.
In 2008 Panasonic opened a new EV Energy manufacturing plant in Sendai, which is 25 kilometres from where the earthquake hit. The plant is believed to have been wiped out by the tsunami according to early reports.
Also located in Sendai is a Sony Technology Centre.
At 10PM Eastern Australia time at least 36 people were officially announced dead after the 10 metre wave powering the tsunami hit the Japanese coast where hundreds of small manufacturing plants are located.
"Major damage occurred in the Tohoku area" north of Tokyo, Prime Minister Naoto Kan said in a nationally televised address after convening an emergency response team. "I call on citizens to act calmly. Especially those who are near a beach, please evacuate to higher ground to avoid the tsunami."
The world's strongest earthquake in more than six years struck at 2:46 p.m. local time 130 kilometers (81 miles) off the coast of Sendai, north of Tokyo, at a depth of 24 kilometers, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It was followed by a 7.1- magnitude aftershock at 4:25 p.m., the agency said.
