February 11, 2026 -
By Kim Eun-jin, BusinessKorea
TSMC Pushes for 3nm Mass Production in Japan While $17 Billion Investment and Rapidus Consortium Bolster Semiconductor Ambitions
As Japan accelerates its efforts to secure advanced semiconductor production bases, signs are emerging that the global foundry competitive landscape may be shifting. With simultaneous pursuits to attract TSMC’s 3nm process from Taiwan and large-scale public-private investment in its domestic semiconductor consortium ‘Rapidus,’ the scenario of Japan’s return as a manufacturing powerhouse is becoming a reality.
According to foreign media and industry sources on February 6, TSMC has decided to pursue mass production of 3nm semiconductors—one node ahead of the originally planned 6nm process—at its second plant in Kumamoto, Japan. Although Japan previously had no production base for 3nm-class advanced processes, the company revised its strategy to respond to expanding AI semiconductor demand. As a result, Japan will for the first time be able to produce ultra-fine processes domestically, rapidly bridging its technology gap.
The scale of investment has also grown significantly. TSMC’s facility investment in Japan has expanded from the initial $12.2 billion to $17 billion. The Japanese government is also adding momentum to the fast-paced effort by considering additional support beyond the already confirmed subsidies of 732 billion yen. Japan, having designated semiconductors as a core economic security industry, is rapidly elevating its production base through fiscal support.
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