Major companies have told employees not to make business trips to Egypt and are instructing staff already in the country to stay away from unsafe areas as violent antigovernment rallies sweep the nation.
Officials at Nissan Motor Co., which has an assembly factory in Egypt, said Saturday the automaker has directed employees there to stay at hotels in suburban areas. It also told employees in Japan and other countries not to travel to Egypt.
Panasonic Corp., which has a representative office in Cairo, has instructed workers not to travel to Egypt, Jordan or Yemen, the electronics maker said.
The political unrest has also hit Toshiba Corp., which set up a joint venture in Egypt in January to manufacture liquid crystal display TVs. Toshiba said it has about 10 employees in Egypt and has instructed them to take suitable precautions to ensure their safety.