As reported in Edmunds Inside Line:
TOKYO — Japanese automakers are taking steps to reassure American consumers that they are not concerned about radiation risk on vehicles exported to the U.S., in light of the ongoing nuclear plant worries after Japan’s devastating earthquake.
Honda, Nissan and Toyota told Inside Line on Wednesday that they do not believe there is any harmful radiation risk on cars and parts coming from Japan.
Responding to an e-mail query from Inside Line, Mike Michels, vice president of communications for Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., wrote: “The majority of our operations are in Aichi prefecture, which is far from the earthquake zone and contamination sources. Vehicles are plastic-wrapped on ships (“wrapguard”) and washed at our processing facilities before shipping to dealers. This is normal procedure. Also, Customs and Homeland Security already routinely monitor shipments for radiation as part of anti-terrorism procedures.
“Whatever else may be needed is unclear, but we are committed to ensuring that vehicles delivered to customers are safe in every way.”
“We are monitoring the situation closely and will take all necessary actions to ensure safety,” said David Reuter, Nissan Americas vice president of corporate communications in an e-mailed response to an Inside Line query.
He said that the majority of Nissan’s plants and ports are “not in the zone where any potential radioactive fallout could cause a problem.”
Nissan’s Iwaki powertrain plant, however, is located about 30 miles from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant that has been at the center of the crisis in Japan.
Reuter said that “should any radioactive material adhere to our cars or our parts, we will take all necessary precautions to ensure that harmful material is not brought into the country and transferred to our partners, including customers.”
Honda also took pains to reassure U.S. consumers about any radiation risk in exported vehicles.
“Regarding radiation, our assembly plants aren’t located anywhere near the damaged reactors,” wrote Edward K. Miller, Honda North America senior manager for news media and industry relations in an e-mailed response to an Inside Line query.
Miller added that in 2010, 87 percent of the vehicles Honda sold in the U.S. were built domestically. It imports 13 percent of “finished vehicles,” Miller said.
Nissan has an assembly plant in Tochigi and Honda operates an engine components plant in Tochigi, less than 100 miles from the damaged nuclear reactors in Fukushima.
Mazda North America did not respond to a request for a comment on the issue.
Fears of radioactive fallout prompted several air carriers to cancel flights to Narita International Airport, which services Tokyo. Lufthansa, KLM and Air China canceled flights after a small spike in radiation levels were detected in Tokyo following the reactor fire at the Fukushima nuclear plant.
The U.S. government had not addressed any possible contamination issue in exported goods from Japan at this point. But a 2010 guidebook on response to nuclear contamination published jointly by such agencies as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Defense, the EPA and the U.S. Department of Transportation urges “fire hosing” of contaminated objects with “smooth impermeable surfaces” to counteract contamination.
Inside Line says: Japanese automakers want to get ahead of any possible issue with radioactive fallout following the massive earthquake and ensuing problems with nuclear reactors in that country. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
