In wake of tsunami, Japanese suppliers faced disruptions  The effects of the 9.0-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami that wreaked havoc in Japan on Friday continue to reverberate through the global markets. Many factories in the country have shuttered their doors as they work to recover from the massive damage, but those closings are fueling supply chain disruptions for companies across the world.

In the northeastern part of the country, automakers Nissan, Toyota and Suzuki are facing a slowdown in manufacturing after plants there were closed following the natural disaster. The northeast part of the island nation was the hardest hit region on Friday and serves as a major vehicle manufacturing hub in the country. While some carmakers plan on resuming production this week, the damage at some plants was so great it could be weeks before they are online again.

Moreover, the technology sector in the country is still reeling from Friday's events: Toshiba, which generates more than 30 percent of the world's chips used to store data in cameras, smartphones and tablets, has closed some of its manufacturing facilities and announced Monday that its production would be affected at least in the short-term. Objective Analysis founder Jim Handy said the daily spot market for those chips has jumped 10 to 27 percent.

Companies like Apple could be affected by the supply chain disruptions, analysts assert. "Toshiba, which is one of their suppliers, has been impacted, and I think it will create more of a challenge in meeting their demand," said IHS iSuppli vice president Dale Ford.
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