A powerful typhoon struck Japan today, causing four deaths and forcing companies including Toyota Motor Corp. and Nissan Motor Co. to close some plants, company spokesmen said. Typhoon Roke, the second big storm to hit Japan this month, was packing winds of up to 220 km per hour. The storm cut power to more than 575,500 households in Tokyo Electric Power Co's service area.

Toyota, like other Japanese producers, has become overly cautious after March