Posts Tagged ‘vehicle scraps’

Earthquake Aftermath: Accountant Insights on Auto Industry

Accounting in Japan has gone haywire since the March 11 earthquake. Many have temporarily stopped working on their finances and accounting in Japan because they have to deal with bigger problems. Many businesses were affected and loss of income reduced drastically. One such industry that was devastated by the earthquake is the auto industry.


Two weeks ago, May 16, 2011 the operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant mentioned in a press meeting that the meltdown could have been caused by earthquake and not the tsunami that followed. Nonetheless, the Japanese auto industry has suffered a massive setback. Factories closed down and operations ceased. Millions of dollars in finished products were lost. No one had an inkling of what was to become of the auto industry, and if carmakers could even survive the crisis.

The initial assessment was discouraging and many businessmen and accountants saw a dim future with long-lasting effects. Still, the fighting spirit of Japanese auto makers remained undaunted.

Their suppliers who could not resume operations were put on hold, and other suppliers were sought. Those who could move closer to assembly plants did so. The problem was not just parts, but also power and transportation to ports. With the Japanese tight operations system where they don’t stock up on inventory of parts, it means there are no sufficient back-up inventory to cover the temporary inventory problem. Some cars and vehicles are not expected to be in production except on a limited capacity even during summer.

For the foreign market, this means they may not see Insight hybrids and Honda Fit for quite some time. Other cars which are built in other countries like the Honda Accord, and the Toyota Camry will be available since production was not affected. This is good news for many Japan car owners who fear they may not have enough parts for repair or maintenance.

Recycled Vehicle Scraps

China is one of two top buyers for scrap metal from Japan. However, for Japan as a suppliers of scrap metal, China has placed a stop order. They have even gone so far as to reject shipments of scrap steel already ordered from Japan. Their reason? The fear of contaminated material from radiation is making them think twice.


This isn’t a random decision they took. The Chinese had a random testing of scrap steel from Japan, and they tested positive for radiation. Thus, they decided that unless accompanied by 3rd party guarantees, no scrap steel from Japan will be accepted.

In addition to this, because of the massive volume of scrap metal and scrap steel now in the market, the prices have dropped dramatically. It has yet to shift course because the radiation problems from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has yet to resolved. Japan has a mounting problem of where to put their scrap, and what to do with them.

China has already begun to order their scraps from Russia and the US. One Japanese company that produces steel, Sumitomo Metal Industries Limited has restarted their production line. It is working at 60% less output. With the current slack on Japan steel, and the company’s estimated loss of over US$700 million from the earthquake, it will be an uphill climb for years.  However, what is more important is that Japanese companies are starting to pick up the pieces and work again.

This showcases a more positive vibe about the Japanese and their determination not to be in a position of failure. It is an amazing feat to get back on your feat after so much devastation, and they are doing it. It’s no wonder foreign investment is on the upswing, and confidence in the business community is growing. China will be back as a top buyer of Japanese scrap steel because it is of high quality. It’s just a matter of time.