According to data released by the Semiconductor Equipment Association of Japan (SEAJ) on August 27th, Japan’s semiconductor manufacturing equipment sales continue to soar, with July sales up by about 20%, marking four consecutive months of double-digit growth. Sales from January to July reached a historic high for the period.

Reportedly, the sales of Japan-made chip equipment in July 2024 (based on a 3-month average basis, including exports) reached JPY 348.092 billion, a significant 23.6% increase compared to the same month last year.

This marks the seventh consecutive month of growth and the fourth consecutive month with over 10% growth. Monthly sales have surpassed JPY 300 billion for nine straight months.

Compared to the previous month (June 2024), sales increased by 1.2%, marking the eighth monthly growth in nine months.

From January to July 2024, Japan’s chip equipment sales totaled JPY 2.480115 trillion, a 16.7% increase compared to the same period last year. This figure surpasses the previous record of JPY 2.134268 trillion set in 2022, setting a new all-time high.

The upward trend is in accordance with the observation by Japan’s chip equipment giant Tokyo Electron (TEL) and the Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI).

Tokyo Electron (TEL) announced in its August 8 financial report that due to strong investments in AI servers, the 2024 global wafer fab equipment (WFE) market size has been revised upward from the previous estimate of around USD 100 billion (up 5% year-on-year) to over USD 100 billion.

The Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) forecast report released on July 10 predicts that global chip equipment sales in 2024 are estimated to increase by 3.4% year-over-year to USD 109 billion, surpassing the USD 107.4 billion record set in 2022.

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• [News] Booming GPU and HBM Demand Pushes Japanese Chip Equipment Annual Sales to Record High
• [News] Booming Sales of Japanese Semiconductor Equipment Continue to Break Records, Reportedly Surpassing JPY 300 Billion

(Photo credit: TEL)

Recently, the Zhongguancun Science City Technology Growth Phase II Fund and the Vertex Ventures China Technology Innovation Phase II RMB Fund were successively launched, with a combined investment of over CNY 8.5 billion targeting integrated circuit (IC) and semiconductor sectors.

• Zhongguancun Science City Technology Growth Phase II Fund Launched with a Total Scale of CNY 5 Billion

On August 26, as per the official website of Haidian, Beijing, Zhongguancun Science City Technology Growth Phase II Fund was officially launched with a total scale of CNY 5 billion. This marks a further investment in technology innovation investment for Zhongguancun Science City, expanding the total scale CNY to 10 billion.

Zhongguancun Science City Technology Growth Fund is funded by the Haidian government, with each phase sized at CNY 5 billion. The Technology Growth Phase II Fund consists of a CNY 4 billion parent fund and a CNY 1 billion direct investment fund, managed by an investment company under Zhongguancun Science City.

In recent years, Haidian District has actively built a “1+X+1” modern industrial system, in reference to accelerating the development of strategic emerging industries such as biomedicine, IC, and commercial space under the support of the two “1”s–AI and technology service industries.

The Technology Growth Phase II Fund will closely align with this industrial system, focusing on high-potential, high-growth projects, leveraging capital to boost high-quality regional economic development, and accelerating the transformation and application of technological innovation achievements.

It is reported that following this official launch, the “Zhongguancun Science City Technology Growth Fund Sub-fund Application Guidelines” will simultaneously seek collaborative projects, with the first batch of collaborative sub-fund projects expected to be completed by September 30.

• Vertex Ventures Phase II Fund Completed a Fundraising of CNY 3.5 Billion, Targeting Sectors including Semiconductor

On August 26, Vertex Venture announced the recent successful completion of fundraising for its “Vertex Technology Phase II RMB Fund” (hereinafter referred to as “RMB Phase II”), with a scale exceeding CNY 3.5 billion, setting a new record compared to RMB Phase I.

Reportedly, RMB Phase II will primarily zero in on innovative technology sectors, including chip semiconductors, intelligent robotics solutions, large model-related applications, new energy, new materials, and medical technology.

It is noted that Vertex has consistently maintained a stable pace of fundraising and investment, with its main funds including five funds in USD and two funds in CNY, each steadily expanding in scale.

Notably, this phase has seen a significant reinvestment from LP in Phase I, as well as the introduction of large insurance companies, further improving the LP structure.

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• [News] China’s Semiconductor Industry Ushers in a New Period
• [News] China Contributes Over 40% of U.S. Chip Equipment Makers’ Revenue despite Export Controls

(Photo credit: ZGC Science City)

China’s export controls on crucial semiconductor materials are reportedly hitting the supply chain, with concerns rising over potential shortages of advanced chips and military optical hardware.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, China produces 98% of the world’s gallium and 60% of its germanium. However, since July of last year, the Chinese government has imposed export restrictions on these minerals, causing their prices in Europe to nearly double over the past year. China claims these measures are to protect national security and interests in response to U.S. export sanctions.

As per a report from the Financial Times, an industry source who works at a large consumer of semiconductor materials has revealed that the situation with China is extremely critical, with significant reliance on China’s supplies.

Affected companies have also disclosed that while there is still some bulk shipment of Chinese gallium, the overall export volume has dropped by about half since the controls were implemented. If China continues to reduce gallium exports as it did in the first half of the year, reserves could be depleted, leading to shortages.

Per the same report from Financial Times, Jan Giese, Senior Manager at Frankfurt-based trading firm Tradium, noted that the gallium and germanium his company obtained through China’s new export licensing program account for only a small portion of past purchases. These export controls are adding additional pressure on markets outside China, making an already challenging market even more complex.

Gallium and germanium are crucial for semiconductor applications, military, and communications equipment. They are essential materials for producing advanced microprocessors, optical fiber products, and night vision goggles, so ongoing export restrictions by the Chinese government could hinder the production of such items.

Meanwhile, the Chinese government has announced new export restrictions on antimony this month. Antimony is used in armor-piercing ammunition, night vision goggles, and precision optical components. This follows previous export controls on graphite and rare earth extraction and separation technologies.

Under the regulations, each shipment requires approval, which takes 30 to 80 days and involves uncertainty, making long-term supply contracts impractical. Applications must specify the buyer and intended use.

The report cites sources in the semiconductor materials sector, noting that China is using these restrictions to catch up with the U.S. and other semiconductor technology leaders. Given the current global situation and U.S.-China relations, there seems to be no motivation for China to ease export controls.

Addressing the matter, the China’s foreign ministry declined to comment.

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• [News] China’s Antimony Export Restrictions Starting in Mid-September Reportedly Cause Prices to Skyrocket
• [News] Chip War Escalates: China to Enforce State Ownership of All Rare Earth Materials in October

(Photo credit: iStock)

According to a report from Bloomberg, Applied Materials Inc. pointed out that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has requested information regarding its federal grant applications, further intensifying the government’s investigation into the company’s operations.

Per a regulatory filing last week, the chip equipment manufacturer received a subpoena from the DOJ and is fully cooperating with the government. Reportedly, the company stated that the request pertains to certain federal award applications and information submitted to the federal government.

Applied Materials had applied for government support for its planned research center under the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act, which was expected to bolster local chip facilities.

Yet, per previous reports by Bloomberg and Tom’s Hardware, the company’s funding application was ultimately denied, leaving the USD 4 billion research center planned for Sunnyvale, California, underfunded.

It is worth noting that though the U.S. keeps tightening the export controls on the semiconductor sector, major chip equipment makers seem to become increasingly dependent on the Chinese market.

Thus, Applied Materials’ dealings with China have already been under government scrutiny. Notably, from February to April, China accounted for 43% of the total sales of Applied Materials, a 22 percentage point increase YoY.

Back in February of this year, Applied Materials had already received subpoenas from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, even before the DOJ subpoena, and was reportedly under investigation for allegedly sending equipment to SMIC, China’s leading chipmaker, through South Korea without export licenses.

Addressing the matter, Applied Materials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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• [News] Funding for Applied Materials’ USD 4 Billion R&D Center Reportedly Denied by the U.S. Government

(Photo credit: Applied Materials)

According to a report by the Nikkei, Japanese chip manufacturer Kioxia has submitted its initial public offering (IPO) application to the Tokyo Stock Exchange, triggering a long-awaited move as the development of artificial intelligence (AI) drives a surge in semiconductor demand. The company aims to go public in October, the report notes.

According to a report by Nikkei, citing sources, Kioxia’s valuation is expected to exceed JPY 1.5 trillion (roughly USD 10.3 billion). The deal is anticipated to surpass the JPY 420 billion raised by chip equipment maker Kokusai Electric during its 2023 IPO, which was the largest of that year. It is also expected to exceed the projected listing of Tokyo Metro in October, estimated at JPY 640 billion to 700 billion.

This move comes at a time when the Japanese government is increasing its support for investment in the chip industry, aiming to secure the supply of critical components amid rising geopolitical tensions.

As per another report from Anue, Kioxia had once planned to conduct its IPO in 2020.

However, the plan was postponed due to the uncertainty in the global chip market caused by U.S.-China trade tensions and the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, Kioxia’s target valuation exceeded 2 trillion yen, which was later reduced to 1.7 trillion yen.

Last year, Kioxia engaged in merger talks with Western Digital’s flash memory business, but the negotiations stalled due to opposition from Kioxia’s shareholder, SK hynix.

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• [News] Kioxia Ends Production Cuts, Signaling Potential Downturn in NAND Flash Market?
• [News] Kioxia and Western Digital Restart Merger Plan, SK Hynix Reportedly Remains Opposition

(Photo credit: Kioxia)