Many Japanese companies halted their operations Monday after the nation's biggest earthquake hit north-eastern Japan, destroying factories and causing power shortages, DPA reported.
Tens of thousands of people were feared dead after the earthquake and tsunami.
Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) planned to begin power rationing by time and region in the greater Tokyo region as the company has been struggling with possible nuclear meltdowns at its atomic reactors in Fukushima Prefecture.
TEPCO said it would attempt to offset a sharp fall in power production with the nuclear plants shut down.
Toyota Motor Corp said Monday it would halt production at all domestic factories until Wednesday as the carmaker aimed to secure the safety of its workers and their family members in quake-stricken areas, Kyodo News reported.
The three-day suspension would result in a loss in production of 40,000 units at the world's largest carmaker, Kyodo said.
Hino Motors Ltd and Daihatsu Motor Co, both Toyota subsidiaries, said the companies would also follow suit, while Isuzu Motors Ltd said the carmaker would suspend domestic production from Monday until Friday. Honda Motor Co halted a number of domestic plants due to a shortage of parts supplied from factories in the quake-stricken region, Kyodo said.
Sony Corp suspended operations at its factory for industrial adhesive tape in the city of Kanuma, north of Tokyo while Toshiba Corp said the electronic giant decided to shut down operations, including production of flat-screen television sets at its plant in Fukaya, also north of Tokyo, Kyodo said.
Major retailers, including Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd, closed department stores in the Tokyo metropolitan area.