Asahi Tec Corp. (5606.TO) said Thursday its U.S. auto parts subsidiary Metaldyne Corp. filed for the Chapter 11 protection for corporate rehabilitation, hurt by slumping business with U.S. automakers.

The Japanese auto parts maker said Metaldyne's debts total $929 million as of the end of December 2008.

Metaldyne supplies its products to General Motors Corp. (GM), Ford Motor Co. (F) and Chrysler LLC as well as foreign manufacturers including Toyota Motor Corp. (7203.TO), Honda Motor Co. (7267.TO) and Volkswagen AG (VLKAY).

Asahi Tec, in which Ripplewood Holdings LLC is a major shareholder, said Metaldyne's court protection will cause a special loss of Y31.97 billion in the form of investment writedowns, but it will have no effect on its cash flow.

-By Kazuhiro Shimamura, Dow Jones Newswires; 813-6895-7566; kazuhiro.shimamura@dowjones.com