TSMC's subsidiary in Japan, Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing (JASM), has set a target to increase the procurement of equipment and materials from Japanese suppliers for its 12-inch (300mm) fab under construction in Kumamoto Prefecture. Currently, about 25% of the equipment and materials for the wafer plant are being sourced from Japan. The goal is to raise this proportion to 50% by 2026 and to achieve 60% by 2030.
During a speech at Semicon Japan 2023, Yuichi Horita, president of TSMC's subsidiary JASM, highlighted the importance of the Japanese semiconductor supply chain and expressed the hope that Japanese industry players could contribute to manufacturing products domestically. Horita acknowledged that the transfer of semiconductor technology from sister facilities in Taiwan to the Kumamoto plant will aid in advancing chip manufacturing capabilities in Japan.
The construction of the wafer plant in Kumamoto is progressing smoothly and is nearing completion. Equipment installation commenced in October 2023, and the plant is scheduled to commence shipments by the end of 2024. The workforce at the Kumamoto wafer plant is expected to consist of a total of 1,400 employees, with 600 transitioning from TSMC and Sony, and an additional 800 personnel. JASM anticipates that new graduates, with 56% of them from schools in Kyushu, will join the team in the spring of 2024.
