Japan's chip revival is on track. The real challenge begins now

Wee Chian Koh is an economist at Asean+3 Macroeconomic Research Office.

Japan's semiconductor industry revitalization plans, initiated in 2021, are progressing well and faring much better than similar plans elsewhere. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world's top chipmaker, opened its first plant in Kumamoto in February and will begin mass production later this year, while its Arizona plant in the U.S. has been delayed. Japanese chipmaker Rapidus is set to open its pilot fab in Hokkaido in April.