TOKYO, Japan (PNN) - April.4, 2011 - Toyota Motor Corp. is warning it will probably shut down its North American assembly plants later this month amid a shortage of parts from Japan, as the economic aftershocks of the crisis gripping that country threaten to add to the current North American Depression.

While it's unclear how long the closings could last, North America's economy can ill afford another hit to manufacturing at this point. Vehicle production has helped auto sales come back from the depths of the Depression, but Toyota’s actions threaten to reverse that trend, and more..