Suzuki halts production of Swift cars over China's rare earth export curbs
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Suzuki Motor Corp. has halted production of its flagship Swift compact hatchback due to China's export restrictions on rare-earth elements, sources close to the matter said Friday, marking the first suspension by a Japanese automaker tied to the curbs.
The restrictions have caused delays in procuring parts that use rare earths, the sources said.
The Chinese government in April imposed export controls on seven types of rare-earth minerals as part of its retaliation against U.S. tariffs. The move has already begun to disrupt production in the United States and Europe.
Suzuki suspended production of the Swift, excluding the Sport model, at its Sagara plant in Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan, on May 26.
While it announced Thursday that it would partially resume production from June 13 and fully resume from June 16, it did not disclose the reason for the halt.
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