Semiconductor Geopolitics
Learn about the Taiwan semiconductor industry's influential role, domestically and internationally, in this informative explainer series.
What’s Behind Japan’s Chip Ambitions? - Semiconductor Geopolitics Ep1
Japan was once an economic powerhouse that produced 60% of the semiconductors around the globe, yet its chip manufacturing capacity today accounts for less than 10% thereof. Alarme
Why Is Japan Cooperating With the US Again? - Semiconductor Geopolitics Ep2
The trade friction between Japan and the US during the 1980s was massive. With Plaza Accord and US-Japan Semiconductor Agreement taking effect, the Japanese chip industry eventuall
Dual Insurance Strategy: The Secret To Japan’s Chip Industry Revival Ep3
Japan has decided to jump back into the semiconductor manufacturing realm, but the reality hits hard: it is 7 nodes behind from making the most advanced chips. However, the Japanes
Why Was TSMC Fab Construction in Japan So Smooth? - Semiconductor Geopolitics Ep4
TSMC announced its plan to build chip foundries in Kumamoto, Japan in 2021, and it delivered on schedule in early 2024. On the other hand, the construction of TSMC’s fab in Arizona
Has JASM’s Smooth Progress Changed Japan’s Semiconductor Plans? Ep5
Compared to TSMC’s delayed fab construction in Arizona, TSMC’s foundry project in Japan has gone very smoothly, which could even lead to them building a second or third fab in Japa
A Transnational Semiconductor Ecosystem Between Taiwan and Japan? Ep6
Japanese material companies have always been critical suppliers for the Taiwanese chip industry, and with TSMC establishing wafer foundries in Kumamoto, Taiwan and Japan now become
TSMC’s Arizona Fab: Compromise or Historical Recurrence? Ep7
Some worry that TSMC’s production decentralization, which is seen in the new fabs in Arizona and Kumamoto, may diminish Taiwan’s strategic importance and even affect regional stabi
The US Plan that Rattles TSMC - Semiconductor Geopolitics Ep8
Since 2018 and the signing of Section 301, Taiwan and TSMC have played a crucial role in bringing chip manufacturing back to American soil. The United States has been persistent in