双语阅读-日本地震对全球消费者意味着什么.docxVIP

What Japan Shortages Mean for Consumers日本地震对全球消费者意味着什么As Northern Japan begins rebuilding, auto and electronics companies around the world are only starting to figure out how the radical disruption will affect inventories. And while the situation is still in flux, one thing seems clear: Consumers will pay higher prices for Japanese goods if they can buy them at all.当日本北部开始灾后重建时，全球的汽车和电子厂商才刚开始明白，产能的严重中断会对存货造成何种影响。尽管形势变化不定，但有一点似乎是清楚的：消费者会为日本商品支付高价，但前提是他们要能买到才行。Even factories that arent repairing direct damage from the earthquake or tsunami are struggling with intermittent power, transportation difficulties and shortages of parts and workers. All of Toyotas 12 assembly plants will stay closed through at least the end of this week; Honda said it expects to resume production on Sunday at the earliest. Four of Sonys 15 affected plants are functioning, but the company said Tuesday that parts shortages would cut output until the end of the month. Camera-makers Nikon and Canon have also announced slowdowns in output.就连那些并未在修复地震或海啸带来的直接损害的工厂也在同间歇性停电、运输困难以及零部件和工人短缺等问题作斗争。丰田（Toyota）旗下全部12个组装工厂全部停工，且至少会持续到本周末；本田（Honda）说，预计最早要到周日才能恢复生产。索尼（Sony）15个受影响的工厂中只有四个正在运营，但 该公司周二说，零部件短缺导致减产的状况会持续到本月底。尼康（Nikon）和佳能（Canon）两家相机制造商也宣布产出速度会降低。Analysts say even this short stall will mean consumers can expect product shortages of Japanese electronics and automobiles as early as next month. But how long problems might last, and the broader impact, are harder to gauge. Its so chaotic there, and we cant be sure how much of a supply disruption there will be, says Richard Ebeling, a professor of economics at Northwood University in Midland, Mich.分析师说，即便这种短暂的停顿也意味着消费者最快下个月就会看到日本电子产品和汽车短缺的状况。但更加难以衡量的是，出现的问题可能持续多久，更广泛的影响 会是什么。密歇根州米德兰市（Midland）诺斯伍德大学（Northwood University）的经济学教授艾柏林（Richard Ebeling）说，那边太混乱了，我们无法确定会有多大程度的供应中断。Complicating the issue, Japan primarily produces small components like transistors and silicon wafers that are used to make microchips which in turn go into a wide range of electronics.