As AI growth makes chip power consumption a critical global issue, Japan's next-generation chip technologies are drawing attention. Tohoku University's MRAM cuts power consumption to a hundredth of conventional chips, while the diamond semiconductors led by Saga University have hit 120 GHz operation and are heading toward space and 6G applications. A report on Japan's technological edge and the competition with the US and China.
Canon is launching its first new KrF lithography system in 14 years, boosting throughput by 30% to challenge ASML's dominance. With a global NAND shortage creating opportunity and a $330 million factory expansion underway, Canon's multi-front strategy, including nanoimprint lithography and ArF dry re-entry, signals Japan's semiconductor equipment counterattack.
Rapidus CEO Atsuyoshi Koike unveiled the world's first 600mm square glass substrate RDL interposer at SEMICON Japan 2025, yielding roughly ten times as many interposers as a 300mm wafer. How it compares with TSMC's CoWoS and Intel's Foveros, and what Japan's packaging strategy is betting on ahead of 2028 mass production.
Japan's Kioxia is set for consecutive record-breaking years, with revenue exceeding $14 billion for the first time. NAND production capacity for 2026 is already "sold out" as AI data center demand far outpaces supply. From a rocky IPO to the world's best-performing stock of 2025 with a 540% gain, we explore Kioxia's remarkable turnaround and what it means for Japan's semiconductor renaissance.
Kagawa Prefecture becomes Japan's first local government to sign a partnership with NVIDIA. From GPU data center development to AI talent cultivation with University of Tokyo's Professor Yutaka Matsuo, discover how this small prefecture is pioneering a bold "Sovereign AI" strategy for regional revitalization.
Japan's Rapidus targets full-scale 2nm chip production by FY2028 in Hokkaido. From prototype success to mass production roadmap, TSMC & Samsung competition, $19 billion in government support, and Japan's semiconductor revival strategy: a comprehensive report.
Honda invests in U.S. startup Mythic to co-develop a neuromorphic SoC inspired by the human brain. By combining analog compute-in-memory technology with Honda's AI expertise, this brain-like chip achieves both massive power savings and high AI performance—potentially transforming autonomous driving for next-generation software-defined vehicles.
TSMC upgrades its Kumamoto Fab 2 from 7nm to cutting-edge 3nm production, targeting mass production by 2028 with $17 billion investment. CEO C.C. Wei personally briefed Japan's PM Takaichi on the plan. We analyze what this means for Japan's semiconductor revival, AI infrastructure, and global chip supply chain diversification.
Ibiden, the dominant supplier of IC package substrates to NVIDIA and Intel, has announced a massive $3.2 billion investment plan over three years to boost production capacity 2.5x. Discover how this Japanese manufacturer in Gifu Prefecture is positioning itself as the backbone of the global AI infrastructure boom.
As TSMC exits GaN foundry services, Japan's Rohm acquires TSMC's technology license to manufacture 650V GaN power semiconductors in-house at its Hamamatsu factory. A deep dive into the next-generation power chips reshaping the AI and EV era.
Japan's semiconductor giant Renesas Electronics reported a ¥51.7 billion net loss for FY2025—its first red ink in six years. Triggered by Wolfspeed's bankruptcy causing a $1.6 billion write-down, sluggish automotive demand, and a slow pivot to AI chips, the results raise questions about Japan's semiconductor strategy. We analyze what went wrong and what comes next.
