"Due to a shortage of components in the supply chain, we will be forced to halt production temporarily from Jan. 31," spokesperson Tomas Paroubek said.

The Czech economy relies heavily on the car industry, which has been on the mend as it works through supply snags and lends some support to an economy being hit by high inflation.

Toyota operates one of three plants in the country and increased output by 34.9% year-on-year to 202,255 cars last year.

The Czech Automotive Industry Association reported production rose overall by 10.2% in 2022, to 1.218 million vehicles, with Volkswagen unit Skoda Auto the main manufacturer.

(Reporting by Jason Hovet and Robert Muller; Editing by Mark Potter)