4.) United States Import Problems

Japan plays a key role in supplying the globe as a supplier of parts and as a producer of final products.  During this era, even a small disaster can cause tremendous damage.  Japan’s overall production of automobiles, semiconductors, and electronics is going to be most effected.  On the American side of the disaster, the American companies that rely on Japanese companies for supplying them with electronic parts or automobile parts will also be devastated.  Some Japanese auto companies and manufacturers, such as Toyota Motor Corporation, were operated near where the earthquake and tsunami hit, other manufacturers have also had to deal with power outages and most have had to shut down or reduce output extremely.  Because of this, the United States has less to import from Japan, giving us less to sell in America.  Some of the Japanese companies that are run in the United States have also had to shut down operations due to the fact that they cannot acquire the proper parts and components from Japan; Toyota, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Nissan, and others all import their engines or transmissions from Japan, and Ford imports Japanese made- memory chips and batteries to put in their cars, all of these companies are dealing with the recent disasters.  20.6 percent of the imports we receive from Japan are machinery, such as computers, automobiles, and electronics.  Because of the earthquake and tsunami, all of these shipments are delayed, stopped, or severely interrupted.

                   One of the electronics that requires parts imported from Japan that are currently on backorder is the Apple iPad 2.  Apple had to push the expected delivery time for those who had already ordered their iPad 2 online back 4 to 5 weeks later than first predicted.  Japan will be in short supply of the software because the factory was shut down because of the tsunami.  The aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami is likely to cause logistical disruptions and supply shortages in the iPad 2.  The iPad 2 requires many components imported from Japan like a very hard to replace electronic compass, a battery, and even advanced technology glass for the display of the electronic.

www.google.com

http://youtu.be/THg31DPc__g

http://dealnews.com/features/6-Ripple-Effects-on-Electronics-From-the-Japanese-Disasters/447205.html

"Japan Earthquake, Tsunami and Nuclear Crisis Could Further Apple's IPad 2 Shortages." L.A. Times 17 Mar. 2011. Academic Search Complete. Web. 11 May 2011.