Toyota Motor Corp. may delay the production of at least 500,000 vehicles in Japan because of a shortage of parts and electricity after the nation’s record earthquake, said an analyst at Advanced Research Japan.

Toyota’s operating profit may be hurt by at least 100 billion yen ($1.2 billion) in the fiscal year ending Thursday and up to 200 billion yen next fiscal year, said Koji Endo, an auto analyst at the research company. Any impact on production that spills overseas will further damp earnings, he said.

Toyota, the world’s largest carmaker, has said the company lost 140,000 units of production from March 14 to March 26, citing a shortage of electronic parts, rubber and plastics. The carmaker resumed output of three models at two factories on March 24, prioritizing hybrids including the Prius. All 18 plants in Japan were halted until then. Toyota built 3.28 million cars in Japan in 2010.

“Hardly any cars will be built in April and a very low level of production will continue from May,” Endo said. 

(Bloomberg)