Tokyo, 18 May 2023 (TDI): The heads of seven major semiconductor chip makers met with Prime Minister Kishida as the United States and its allies want to diversify semiconductor supply chains away from China.
For the US and its allies, securing semiconductor supply chains for economic security has become an issue of immense significance.
Japan will be hosting the G7 Summit in Hiroshima on Friday; semiconductor supply chains and supply chain resilience at large are likely to be among the topics of discussion.
The semiconductor manufacturing giants included Taiwan semi-conductor manufacturing, South Korea’s Samsung Electronics, Micron, and Intel of the US. The tech giants also discussed investment plans in Japan.
Micron is expected to invest 500 billion Yen to build a plant to produce cutting-edge extreme ultraviolet lithography technology in Hiroshima, while Samsung is discussing setting up a research and development Centre in Yokohama with pilot lines for semiconductors. Recently there has been a thaw in relations between Japan and South Korea.
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The Japanese Prime Minister said that his government would provide support for investment in Japan. He said that he was pleased to see the positive attitude toward investment in Japan and stressed working more for further direct foreign investment to strengthen the country’s semiconductor industry.
Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry indicated that semiconductor chip makers realize the potential of the Japanese semiconductor industry.