Toyota said it would gradually halt vehicle production this week at most of its plants in Japan because of a shortage of components following the Kumamoto quakes. A production halt will continue at its car plant in Fukuoka prefecture where Lexus vehicles are made. Some major plants in central Japan including the Tsutsumi plant, where Toyota makes the Prius, will stop production from Tuesday to Saturday, the company said. Other auto makers including Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. have also halted operations at factories in the area following the earthquakes. Sony Corp. was assessing damage at a plant in Kumamoto where image sensors for smartphones including Apple Inc.'s iPhones are manufactured. "The plant doesn't look like it can restart in a day or two," [a company spokesman] said.