Japan's third-largest carmaker said its Hamamatsu plant in central Japan would suspend operations for two days on November 4 and 5, while its Kumamoto plant in the south would be off for four days -- from November 3-5 and on November 8.

The suspension at the two factories, which both supply the domestic market, will delay production of about 7,800 motorcycles, Honda said.

The quake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale and hundreds of aftershocks hit the northern region of Niigata and killed 37 people.

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