In Shanghai, China's largest economic city with strict restrictions on going out, the number of newly confirmed coronavirus infections has reached a record high for the fifth consecutive day.

Shanghai city officials have once again announced that they will continue to carry out inspections and restrict going out throughout the city, raising concerns about further stagnation in economic activity.

In Shanghai, China, the infection of the new corona was confirmed on the 5th, with 17,077 people, mainly asymptomatic people, and reached a record high for the 5th consecutive day.



As the spread of the infection has not stopped, Shanghai city officials announced on the 6th that they will carry out virus tests again throughout the city.



After that, he stated that he would continue to restrict going out until he analyzed the results and decided what to do in the future.



Under these circumstances, Japanese companies expanding into Shanghai have been forced to take measures such as suspension of business, and Mitsubishi Motors has decided to suspend operations at its factory in Aichi prefecture due to the delay in parts supply from Shanghai. is spreading.



In addition, the infection has spread to areas other than Shanghai, and on the 5th, the number of newly confirmed infected persons including Shanghai was 20,472.



In China, there were three consecutive holidays until the 5th, but due to the spread of infections in various parts of the country, the number of people who traveled the country during the period decreased by 26.2% from the same period last year, which is affecting the trend of personal consumption.



Some experts are moving to lower the forecast for China's GDP = gross domestic product growth rate for the three months starting this month, raising concerns that economic activity will stagnate further in the future.

Automakers Delayed procurement of parts The impact of production sites spreads

In Shanghai, China, strict restrictions on going out continue and parts procurement is stagnant, which is spreading to domestic production sites, such as the suspension of factory operations by automobile manufacturers.



Of these, Mitsubishi Motors will suspend operations for five days from the 11th to the 15th of this month at the finished vehicle assembly plant in Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture.



Due to the ongoing strict restrictions on going out in Shanghai, logistics are disrupted and parts procurement from the local area is delayed, so employees are taking measures to take a temporary leave.



In addition, due to the delay in procurement of parts from China, Mazda canceled operations at some domestic factories on the 4th and Daihatsu on the 4th.



On the other hand, in the electrical industry, operations are stopped at the factory in Shanghai.



Of these, the Sony Group is a factory that manufactures TVs and video cameras, and Toshiba is a factory that manufactures elevators, and operations have been suspended.



In addition, Hitachi has suspended operations at some of the elevator production plants of its group companies, and the reopened plants are also lowering the operating rate.



Hitachi Astemo, an automobile parts manufacturer, has also shut down its factories.



While the time to lift the restrictions is uncertain, the effects of restrictions on going out in Shanghai are spreading not only to Japanese companies expanding locally, but also to domestic production sites.

Why parts do not come to Japan

The reason why the supply of parts from around Shanghai, China to Japan is stagnant is that local production and transportation are not normally possible due to strict restrictions on going out.



Shanghai city officials allow manufacturers to operate factories when employees do not commute from home and sleep at work, but for many parts manufacturers, this is difficult and they have to stop operations. It is a situation that cannot be obtained.



One of these, Japanese manufacturers that make electronic components, expects that production will continue to be impossible until at least around the 10th of this month.



The distribution network that carries parts is also confused.



Due to the shortage of drivers responsible for transportation, it is unclear whether even if there are parts, they can be sent to the airport or port where they will be shipped to Japan.



Furthermore, at Shanghai airports where international flights are in service, some airline employees cannot go to work, and some cargo flights to and from Japan continue to be canceled, and even at Shanghai Port, which has the largest container handling volume in the world. There is a shortage of drivers to deliver the cargo.



Shanghai city officials have indicated that they will continue to restrict going out until they analyze the results of virus tests on all citizens and decide what to do in the future, raising concerns that the impact will be prolonged. ..

Stores developed by Japanese companies continue to be closed

In Shanghai, China, the spread of the new coronavirus has not stopped, and restrictions on going out throughout the city continue, and many of the stores operated by Japanese distributors are still closed. I am.



Of these, at convenience stores,


▽ Seven-Eleven is closed at most of the approximately 150 stores in


Shanghai, and ▽ Family Mart, which has approximately 1500 stores in Shanghai, is closed at stores in areas subject to outing restrictions.


▽ Lawson, which has more than 2,300 stores in and around Shanghai, is also closed for about 80% of the stores in the areas subject to outing restrictions.



In the clothing and miscellaneous goods chain,


▽ UNIQLO's Fast Retailing will be closed at all 86 stores in Shanghai, and


▽ MUJI's Ryohin Keikaku will be closed at all 35 stores in Shanghai. It means that there is.



In addition, in the food service industry, Saizeriya is closing stores in restricted areas.



A series of closures have been carried out sequentially since the 28th of last month when strict restrictions on going out began, and each company says that many stores will continue to be closed until the authorities lift the restrictions on going out.



With no indication of when the restrictions will be lifted, the impact on the business of Japanese companies expanding into Shanghai is spreading, with no prospect of resumption of business.