Toyota Motor Corp. on Monday restarted auto assembly lines at four plants in Japan that were suspended after the earthquakes in Kyushu led to parts shortages.
It is the first time the automaker has restarted plant operations discontinued since a series of strong earthquakes hit Kumamoto and Oita prefectures earlier in the month.
The four plants include a factory in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, that manufactures the fourth-generation Prius hybrid car, which debuted in December.
Toyota plans to restart other production lines operated by its group companies through Thursday, the automaker said.
Damage from the quakes interrupted the supply of door parts from a subsidiary of the Toyota group, company Aisin Seiki Co. Aisin has since managed to secure supplies of the parts by shifting production to another factory and through other means.
Toyota Motor Kyushu Inc.'s Miyata plant in Miyawaka, Fukuoka Prefecture, however, will remain suspended for the time being.