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As TSMC ramps up its investments in the U.S., progress at its Taiwan facilities is also steadily advancing. However, according to Economic Daily News, citing NHK, the company’s second fab in Kumamoto, Japan, has reportedly faced another delay.
TSMC had originally scheduled the groundbreaking for the second fab in the first quarter of 2025. However, as noted in the report, the company is now considering postponing it to later in the year.
Despite the delay, TSMC emphasized that its plans for a second fab in Japan under its subsidiary JASM remain unchanged, as highlighted in the report.
NHK reports that the revised timeline is due to TSMC’s intention to implement more advanced manufacturing technologies at the new facility, a move that necessitates extra time for thorough design and planning.
Meanwhile, industry sources point out that some of TSMC’s potential automotive clients in Japan have recently shown increased interest in expanding production in the U.S., which might lead TSMC to prioritize its U.S. operations, according to Economic Daily News.
Economic Daily News also notes that the ongoing downturn in the automotive semiconductor market and intensifying competition may further contribute to the delay, especially given the Japan fab’s primary focus on the automotive sector.
TSMC’s first fab in Kumamoto began mass production in December 2024. The facility is expected to manufacture 22/28nm and 12/16nm chips, with a planned monthly capacity of 55,000 wafers, as reported by Asahi News and Yomiuri Shimbun.
The second fab is expected to produce Japan’s most advanced 6nm semiconductors, according to TBS News.
TSMC’s Recent Advanced Node Development in Taiwan
TSMC is making significant strides in advanced node development. Its 2nm plant in Kaohsiung, Southern Taiwan, officially broke ground on March 31. Also, the foundry giant has recently notified suppliers to begin preparing manufacturing equipment for its upcoming 1.4nm process, according to Economic Daily News. Preparations are reportedly underway to establish a trial production line this year at the Baoshan P2 facility (Fab 20) in Hsinchu, the report adds.
In addition to Hsinchu’s Baoshan site, TSMC’s Fab 25 in the Central Taiwan Science Park will also play a major role in 1.4nm production. The report states that TSMC plans to build four 1.4nm fabs at Fab 25, with the P1 unit targeting risk trial production by 2027 and full-scale production expected by late 2028.
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(Photo credit: TSMC)
