A magnitude-7.1 earthquake struck on July 28, and Sony Semiconductor Manufacturing's plant in Kikuyo, Kumamoto Prefecture — the "Kumamoto Technology Center" — has been halted since that day, according to a Liberty Times report. "位於熊本縣菊陽町的廠區「熊本技術中心」，在28日規模7.1強震後已停工，至於何時能夠恢復尚不清楚" (E1).
According to a TechNews report citing Sony Semiconductor Manufacturing's July 29 announcement, the Kumamoto Technology Center primarily makes industrial equipment and automotive image sensors, and stopped production immediately after the quake, with no resumption date set: "「熊本科技中心」主要生產工業設備、車用影像感測器" and its recovery timing remains undetermined (E11). [Directly Sourced]
Sony Semiconductor Manufacturing said it is still assessing the extent of structural and equipment damage at the Kumamoto Technology Center itself, per the Liberty Times report: "公司正在評估「熊本技術中心」建物和設備的受損程度" (E3). By contrast, the company's image-sensor plant in nearby Koshi city, also in Kumamoto Prefecture, reported no structural damage, though Sony is still conducting a full inspection there (E3). [Directly Sourced]
Further from the epicenter, Sony's plants in Isahaya (Nagasaki Prefecture), Oita city and Kunisaki (Oita Prefecture), and Kirishima (Kagoshima Prefecture) were "not significantly affected," and no employees were injured at these sites, the company said (E4). [Directly Sourced]
Kumamoto Prefecture has been dubbed "Japan's Silicon Valley" (日本矽谷) because multiple semiconductor companies operate plants there, including TSMC's local subsidiary, Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing (JASM), according to the Liberty Times (E2). The quake's impact on this cluster extends well beyond Sony.
TSMC said on July 29 that, because of the quake's large magnitude, "設備的檢查與校正作業需求一定的時間" (equipment inspection and calibration at the JASM fab in Kumamoto will take some time), per TechNews. TSMC added that water and power supply systems were operating normally and raw-material supply was not at risk, and that construction on its second Kumamoto fab — which had briefly stopped — resumed on July 29 (E10).
Mitsubishi Electric halted its power-semiconductor plants in Koshi city and Kikuchi city, both in Kumamoto Prefecture, TechNews reported (E9). Renesas Electronics likewise announced on July 29 that its Kawajiri plant (Kumamoto city) and Nishiki plant (Kuma District, Kumamoto Prefecture), which produce automotive chips, halted operations after the quake with no resumption date; Renesas said it is investigating the impact on equipment and work-in-progress at both sites (E12). [Directly Sourced]
The shutdowns rippled into the region's automotive supply chain. Toyota said its three Fukuoka Prefecture plants — the Miyata plant (Miyako, Fukuoka), which builds the Lexus luxury brand, the Kokura plant (Kitakyushu, Fukuoka), and the Kanda plant (Kanda, Fukuoka) — resumed halting operations from the evening of July 29 and will remain shut through July 31, according to TechNews (E5).
Daihatsu's Oita plant (Nakatsu, Oita Prefecture), which had briefly restarted, was halted again, and together with its Kurume plant (Kurume, Fukuoka), both will be shut through the end of July (E6).
Nissan said on July 29 that some production lines at its subsidiaries Nissan Motor Kyushu and Nissan Shatai Kyushu (both in Kanda, Fukuoka) would halt operations on July 30 and 31, citing parts-supply delays caused by the Kumamoto earthquake (E7).
Honda announced on July 29 that the shutdown at its Kumamoto Manufacturing plant (Otsu, Kumamoto Prefecture), which makes two-wheeled vehicles and other products, would be extended through July 31 (E8). [Directly Sourced]
| Company | Facility | Location | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sony Semiconductor Manufacturing | Kumamoto Technology Center | Kikuyo, Kumamoto | Halted since July 28; reopening date unknown (E1, E11) |
| TSMC (JASM) | Kumamoto fab | Kumamoto | Equipment inspection ongoing; utilities normal; Fab 2 construction resumed July 29 (E10) |
| Mitsubishi Electric | Power semiconductor plants | Koshi & Kikuchi, Kumamoto | Halted (E9) |
| Renesas Electronics | Kawajiri & Nishiki plants | Kumamoto | Halted since the quake; reopening date unknown (E12) |
| Toyota | Miyata, Kokura, Kanda plants | Fukuoka | Halted again from evening of July 29 through July 31 (E5) |
| Daihatsu | Oita & Kurume plants | Oita / Fukuoka | Halted through end of July (E6) |
| Nissan | Nissan Motor Kyushu / Nissan Shatai Kyushu | Kanda, Fukuoka | Some lines halted July 30-31 (E7) |
| Honda | Kumamoto Manufacturing | Otsu, Kumamoto | Shutdown extended through July 31 (E8) |
The evidence shows a split pattern within Sony's own network: the Kumamoto Technology Center closest to the epicenter is fully halted with no reopening date (E1, E11), while sites further away in Nagasaki, Oita, and Kagoshima escaped significant impact (E4) — indicating the disruption is geographically concentrated in Kumamoto rather than spread across Sony's wider Kyushu footprint. Within that Kumamoto cluster, however, the damage is not uniform: TSMC reports its utilities are normal and has already resumed Fab 2 construction (E10), whereas Renesas and Mitsubishi Electric remain halted with impact assessments still underway (E9, E12), and Sony has not yet determined its own damage extent (E3). The automakers' timelines — Toyota, Nissan, and Honda all citing July 30-31, Daihatsu citing "end of July" (E5-E8) — suggest a roughly coordinated short-term suspension window tied to the same regional supply disruption, distinct from the semiconductor makers' open-ended "unknown" recovery timelines (E1, E11, E12).
A magnitude-7.1 earthquake on July 28 struck the area, prompting Sony Semiconductor Manufacturing to halt its Kumamoto Technology Center in Kikuyo, Kumamoto Prefecture (E1, E11).
Sony Semiconductor Manufacturing has not set a reopening date; the company says it is still evaluating the extent of building and equipment damage (E1, E3, E11).
TSMC said equipment inspection and calibration at the JASM fab will take time due to the quake's size, but water and power systems are operating normally and construction on its second Kumamoto fab resumed on July 29 (E10).
Toyota (three Fukuoka plants), Daihatsu (Oita and Kurume plants), Nissan (Nissan Motor Kyushu and Nissan Shatai Kyushu lines), and Honda (Kumamoto Manufacturing) all announced halts running through July 30-31 or the end of July (E5-E8).
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According to Liberty Times Net (自由時報電子報), a magnitude-7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto, Japan on July 28, 2026, with aftershocks reaching intensity 5 at TSMC's (台積電) JASM fab. TSMC said on July 29 that power, water and safety systems are operating normally, equipment calibration is underway, and the nearby construction site has resumed work after a safety check.