[News] Japan’s “Silicon Island” Reawakening? Taiwanese Semiconductor Companies Follow TSMC to Kyushu

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According to a report by the Commercial Times, while TSMC, the global foundry leader, has established a plant in Kikuyo, Kumamoto City, Kyushu. ASE Technology Holdings (ASE), a giant in packaging industry, is setting up a plant in Kitakyushu as well. With these developments, Japan’s semiconductor production could potentially integrate both front-end and back-end processes, forming a cluster within Kyushu.

This development could lead to a revival of Kyushu’s semiconductor industry, once known as the “Silicon Island” in Japan, attracting more semiconductor supply chain companies to the region.

The report further notes that related equipment and inspection company, including MA-tek, semiconductor transmission and storage solutions provider Gudeng Precision, and semiconductor material distributor Topco Technologies Corp. (Topco) have all established bases in Kumamoto.

MA-tek, a leader in semiconductor inspection and analysis services, established its first Japanese laboratory in 2019 and a second one in Kumamoto in 2023. Since their establishment, these laboratories have consistently achieved growth rates higher than the company average.

With the rise of AI applications, many Japanese clients have AI chip development projects, leading to increased demand for MA-tek’s materials analysis (MA) and advanced process inspection services.

To capitalize on advanced process and packaging opportunities brought by AI, the company MAT has decided to increase its capital expenditure this year to between NTD 1.2 billion and NTD 1.4 billion.

These funds will be used to expand and upgrade the testing equipment and laboratory facilities in Nagoya and Kumamoto, and to establish a third laboratory in Hokkaido, which is expected to start contributing to revenue in Q1 2025.

On the other hand, Gudeng Precision is also planning to build a new plant in Kurume in Q2 this year, located between Fukuoka and Kumamoto, with a planned area of approximately 3,000 ping (about 10,000 square meters).

Gudeng Precision’s investment in Kurume, Japan, including equipment procurement, is estimated at about NTD 400 million to NTD 450 million. Construction is expected to begin by the end of this year, with production slated to start by the end of 2025.

Read more

• [News] TSMC’s JASM Kumamoto Plant 2 Greenlit, Construction Expected to Commence by Year’s End
• [News] Kumamoto Vying for TSMC’s Third Fab, Looking to Build Semiconductor Hub

(Photo credit: JASM)