Nikon has confirmed that its Sendai factory in the Miyagi Prefecture, which has been one of the worst hit areas because of last week's earthquake and ensuing tsunami, has been damaged.

The factory is used to produce some of Nikon's professional DSLRs such as the D3x, D3s and D700.

Nikon now says that it has set up an emergency headquarters "for disaster control headed by the (group's) president. We are currently endeavoring to normalize our business as early as possible through our Business Continuity Management teams established in each in-house company."

It adds that its group companies, including Sendai Nikon Corporation, Miyagi Nikon Precision, Zao-machi, Katta-gun, Tochigi Nikon Corporation, Tochigi Nikon Precision Co and other subsidiaries "as well as our plants suffered damage to some part of the equipment and buildings."

Consequently, Nikon has suspended operations there and will be continuing to "evaluate further details of the damage." It adds: "We are unable to announce how soon the operation will resume due to the regional interruption of life-lines although endeavor for restoration are under the way by some of our maintenance personnel. We are concentrated in evaluating how the immediate damage by the disaster and controlled interruption of electricity started from March 14 will result in our group companies and business performances. We will advise our findings immediately when it is revealed that the damage would further expand."

Nikon also reports that some of its employees were injured in the natural disaster, but declines to provide more details as it is "continuing to gather safety information of our personnel and its family members."

Finally, the group has also expressed its "profound sympathy and condolences to the victims of earthquake."

Note: In 2007, Nikon organised a visit of the factory, see images on the e-Photographia website.