Toyota plans to evacuate virtually all its Japanese employees and their dependents from Beijing due to fear of a spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS.

According to Kyodo news agency, Toyota's decision is the first by a major Japanese corporation in the face of the disease outbreak. And it may prompt other Japanese companies to evacuate their employees, says Kyodo.

Toyota currently has more than 20 Japanese employees and 80 or so family dependents in Beijing.