The world’s largest chip foundry, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), was reported to be making plans to start manufacturing chips in Japan. Construction is set to begin in 2022 in western Japan, with production expected to begin by the end of 2024. The chip plant could create 1,500 jobs with a monthly capacity of 45,000 wafers, initially using mature 22nm and 28nm technologies and later moving on to high-end chips.
This would be part of a joint venture with Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation, after the two companies signed a deal for a $7bn (£5.3bn) chipmaking plant. Local media has suggested that Denso Corp, a major Japanese autoparts company, may be among the partners in the TSMC-Sony deal.
The announcement was warmly welcomed by the Japanese government.
Now, it has been reported that the government of Japan will provide hundreds of billions of yen to support the project. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s record ¥56tn (£360bn) fiscal stimulus...