Japan is investing 802.5 billion yen ($5.4 billion) in Rapidus, a chip startup, aiming to reduce reliance on foreign chipmakers and enhance semiconductor production. The move comes amid rising tensions between the U.S. and China, emphasizing Japan’s focus on securing its chip supply chain
Japan is preparing to provide 802.5 billion yen ($5.4 billion) in additional aid to the semiconductor startup Rapidus, underlining Tokyo's determination to bolster its chip supply amidst escalating geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China. This funding increases Japan's total commitment to the project to 1.72 trillion yen, including another proposed 100 billion yen. Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry is also seeking debt guarantees to encourage private sector investment in the startup.
Most of the world's advanced logic chips, essential for artificial intelligence, are currently manufactured by Taiwan’s TSMC. This has sparked concerns over global reliance on Taiwan, especially as China claims the island as its own, further intensifying Japan's push to secure its semiconductor supply.
Rapidus, which has backing from major companies like Toyota, Sony, and SoftBank, is set to begin operating a test production line in April, with its first batch of wafers expected by the summer. The company is aiming to begin mass production of next-generation chips by 2027.
In recent years, Japan has committed approximately 5.4 trillion yen to regain its leadership in chip technology. While the country maintains a strong position in silicon wafer production and some chip materials, it has lost ground in the more profitable sectors of chip design and manufacturing, traditionally dominated by the U.S. and Taiwan.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has pledged additional public support for Japan's chip and AI sectors, with a bill for loan guarantees and government bond issuance linked to the Energy Special Account expected to be introduced in parliament. Japan's government is set to approve 333 billion yen in the upcoming fiscal year to further strengthen these industries.
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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that Washington’s sanctions against Colombian President Gustavo Petro were not intended to harm the country’s citizens or its economy.
The Trump administration has prepared a new round of sanctions targeting key sectors of Russia’s economy if President Vladimir Putin continues to delay efforts to end Moscow’s war in Ukraine, according to U.S. and diplomatic sources familiar with the matter.
Israeli protesters gathered in Tel Aviv on Saturday (October 25), urging the government to finalise the hostage deal and secure the return of the remaining deceased captives held in Gaza.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
A shooting in Nice, southeastern France, left two people dead and five injured on Friday, authorities said.
Snapchat will start charging users who store more than 5GB of photos and videos in its Memories feature, prompting backlash from long-time users.
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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that Washington’s sanctions against Colombian President Gustavo Petro were not intended to harm the country’s citizens or its economy.
The Trump administration has prepared a new round of sanctions targeting key sectors of Russia’s economy if President Vladimir Putin continues to delay efforts to end Moscow’s war in Ukraine, according to U.S. and diplomatic sources familiar with the matter.
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Valencia on Saturday, demanding the resignation of conservative regional leader Carlos Mazon over his handling of the flash floods that killed 229 people nearly a year ago.
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