Japanese Automakers Are Down But Don't Count Them Out

The scene might been lifted from from one of those digital effect-laden Hollywood catastrophe movies -- except this time it was all too real.

According to Automotive News, Toyota dispatched two convoys of rescue vehicles -- six water tankers, two-fuel tankers, and nine cargo carriers -- to heavily-damaged northern Japan carrying food, water, and portable toilets. Toyota wanted to bring relief to an area where it operates two parts plants, as do two Toyota subsidiaries. All four facilities had been shut down since the earthquake on Friday. The mission got some welcome news. A Toyota spokesman said there were no reports of deaths or injuries, though the plants themselves suffered some damage.

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Steve - 3/16/2011 11:41:11 AM

+8 Boost

Someone refresh my memory: How did GM help the nation when the U.S. was hit with a disaster, like say hurricane Katrina?

Agent009 - 3/16/2011 1:19:25 PM

-3 Boost

On September 1, 2005, General Motors announced:

* The GM Foundation and GMAC will be making a combined immediate cash donation of $400,000 to the American Red Cross Hurricane 2005 Relief Fund.
* It has pledged to match up to $250,000 in donations to the Hurricane 2005 Relief Fund from GM and GMAC employees through the company's Global Aid Disaster Relief website.
* They are "making available more than 150 vehicles — including HUMMERS, full-size SUVs, trucks, and vans — for use by the American Red Cross in relief efforts throughout the affected areas." 3
* That it has donated $50,000 cash to the Red Cross chapter in Shreveport, Louisiana so that they may provide shelter to Gulf Coast evacuees.

_43LE - 3/17/2011 11:27:04 AM

+2 Boost

From the site where you got that information, it's interesting to see what the other companies donated:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrina_Aid

BimmersNme - 3/16/2011 9:52:02 PM

+3 Boost

I'm very saddened by what is going on down in Japan.And I'm really praying for their full recovery from the nightmare they're going through.