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As supplies in Japan dwindle, prices may increase Video
As supplies in Japan dwindle, prices may increase Video Transcript
-Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba, Hitachi, Fujitsu, Sandisk, the list could go on. Naming companies all forced to temporarily shut down operation at their Japanese factories due to the country's catastrophic natural disaster last week. And subsequent aftershocks and rolling power blackouts ever since. -Clearly, the real issues are lack of power, lack of transportation to get workers up there, so it's just gonna be time before they can get people, you know, back into the jobs and back into producing the things that the people are using. -Japanese companies manufacture roughly 40% of parts and pieces for everyday electronics. Flash memory for iPods and laptops, LCD screens for tablets and televisions, a lengthy stall in production could decrease world supply and only increase demand. -Right now, manufacturing facilities up to 500 miles away are shut down. If those shutdowns persist for more than a couple of weeks, we are likely to see increased cost down the line for chips and then maybe even the things that we pay for like iPads, iPhones, and other smartphones. -In addition to electronics makers, Japanese car companies have also suspended production to assess damage to their factories and shipping ports. But Toyota and Nissan are both expected to resume manufacturing in the coming week. For CBS News, I'm Kara Tsuboi, CNET.com in San Francisco.
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