Honda’s Tochigi R&D plant hit by Japan earthquake

Honda’s huge Tochigi Proving Ground and research and development facility are among those areas hit by the massive Japanese earthquake that struck last night.

The earthquake measured a powerful 8.9 magnitude and triggered a tsunami that has caused huge damage in the northern part of Japan. Several big fires have also been caused in Tokyo as an oil refinery was damaged.

Honda Tochigi facility is where the firm puts all new bikes through testing and development in secret.

It has a network of tracks and replica roads from around the world. One worker at Tochigi, which builds cars, is known to have been killed when a ceiling collapsed.

Honda’s biggest motorcycle factory is out of the reach of the damage at Kumamoto in the southern Japanese island.

The earthquake struck 250 miles out to sea in the middle of Friday afternoon Japanese time. It’s reckoned to be the most powerful earthquake to hit Japan in almost 100 years.

More updates and news as we get it.