JT Assessing Earthquake And Tsunami Damage

Source from:  Tobacco Reporter 03/15/2011

In expressing its deepest sympathies for those affected by the recent Pacific Ocean earthquake and its after-effects, Japan Tobacco Inc said in a note posted on its website today that communication problems meant that it was unable to confirm the safety of some of its employees. It said, however, that it was continuing a group-wide initiative to obtain information on all of its employees and facilities. Operations have been suspended at JT's Kita-Kanto, Koriyama and Tomobe factories, and at the Tagajo factory of Nihon Filter, which is a JT group company, because of damage to their facilities. But the company is still trying to assess the full extent of the damage. Meanwhile, damage to JT's buildings in Morioka, Sendai, Mito and Utsunomiya, and to some distribution depots (located in Aomori, Morioka, Sendai, Mito and Utsunomiya), which belong to TS Network, a JT group company, has caused some operations to be suspended. Additionally, planned electricity blackouts are expected to have an effect, though their extent is yet to be determined. "We will do everything we can to collect information, giving safety and human lives the first priority," JT said in its note. "Although product supply is anticipated to be affected by the earthquake, we will do the best we can to secure supply. We are continuing with our production in each of the JT Group's factories west of Tokai District." "As damage to the JT Group incurred by this earthquake is more clearly known to us, we will make an announcement immediately in the event we conclude that the Group's performance is forecasted to be seriously affected by the earthquake." Enditem