Major Japanese companies order staff to cancel trips to Brussels in wake of terror attacks

A number of Japanese bellwether companies and renown bluechips on Wednesday issued instructions to ask their employees to avoid making business trips to Brussels as well as other European cities, in the wake of the deadly terror attacks that rocked the Belgian capital yesterday.

Among the companies to issue the travel bans were top automaker Toyota Motor Corp., who while confirming the safety of all its European employees, issued a mandate instructing its staff to avoid major European transport hubs, such as airports and train stations, until the situation in Brussels has been confirmed safe and the terror alert levels lowered.

In addition, the Aichi Prefecture-based automaker told its global employees with specific plans already booked to visit Belgium on business to scrap their plans indefinitely.

Along with Toyota, fellow automaker Honda issued similar instructions to its employees, as did major tire maker Bridgestone Corp.

Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., known worldwide for aerospace and ground transportation-related manufacturing, as well as for production of the Subaru brand of automobiles, went one step further instructing its Japan-based staff to cancel trips to Belgium and advised on the cancellation of visits to other European cities.

Among Japan's megabanks, top lender Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ told its staff to drop any Belgium-bound trips specifically, as well as those to other European cities, as did Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp.

Brussels is a major commercial hub for Japanese businesses operating in Europe and the fluid and volatile nature of the terror situation could lead to a dramatic shift in some major companies' operational protocols in Brussels and elsewhere in Europe.

Spokespeople for some of the bluechips and financial corporations on Wednesday were quoted by local media sources as not ruling out the possibility of taking evasive action to safeguard personnel and business activities, if production were to be adversely affected, or business engagements and "flow of people" affected in the market.

On the political front, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe conveyed both horror at the events in Brussels as well as indignation at so many innocent civilians being murdered in the attacks.

He said that all acts of terrorism would never be tolerated and that Japan would steadfastly work alongside the international community to counter the increasing scourge of militant groups such as the so-called Islamic State, who claimed responsibility for the attacks in Brussels.

While expressing his condolences to the families and friends of the victims, the Japanese leader said that Japan stood in solidarity with Belgium and the European Union in these turbulent times.

The Japanese government is currently making ongoing provisions for its nationals in Brussels to help ensure their safety. Endit