Japan semiconductor market 結果共5筆

TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei met with Japan’s Prime Minister to discuss upgrading the Kumamoto fab to 3-nanometer chips. Taiwan retains top tech, ensuring leadership.

Taiwan’s economy shows resilience amid U.S. tariff talks, says CNAIC’s Wu Tung-liang. He urges market diversification and tech enhancement to counter export costs.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is considering constructing a second facility in Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture, with an announcement expected in February. The new facility is projected to attract an investment of around two trillion Yen, roughly NT$421.6 billion. TSMC’s first plant in Kumamoto is nearing completion, indicating a significant expansion of the Taiwanese company’s operations in Japan. Industry analysts speculate that this development, along with the completion of TSMC’s first plant, could attract more semiconductor-related industries, including those from Taiwan, to Kumamoto. The new plant is expected to produce semiconductor products ranging from 7 to 16 nanometers. TSMC currently holds the tenth position in the list of 2023’s top global companies by market value, with a valuation of $53.498 billion, or about NT$1.67 trillion, according to UK-based financial services provider City Index.

TSMC chairman Mark Liu’s upcoming retirement in 2024 has led investment experts to suggest that the semiconductor giant should slow down the progress of its new manufacturing facility in the United States. Industry analyst Jonah Cheng believes that TSMC’s policy direction will remain unchanged under the leadership of chief executive C.C. Wei, who is expected to succeed Liu as chairman. Cheng also proposes maintaining a dual leadership structure to cultivate successors from various backgrounds. Speculation suggests that Liu’s retirement may be linked to potential investment challenges in the company’s U.S. expansion. In response to these challenges, Cheng recommends a deceleration in the construction of TSMC’s second U.S. plant. He also highlights the need to assess the current downturn in the car market and economic outlook before proceeding with the German plant focused on automotive applications. Cheng suggests that the Japanese facility could be an optimal choice due to labor and power shortages in Taiwan, as well as cultural similarities and strong government support from Japan. TSMC’s primary obstacle, according to Cheng, is maintaining its leadership position in the semiconductor industry, especially after surpassing Intel. Additionally, the cyclical nature of the industry and the potential opportunities presented by the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) applications pose further challenges for the company.

The World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) predicts a 13.1% surge in global semiconductor revenue for 2024, reaching US$588.364 billion. Memory products are expected to be the main driver, with a projected revenue jump of 44.8%. In contrast, current-year revenues are estimated to decline by 9.4% to approximately US$520.126 billion. WSTS has revised its current-year revenue predictions due to better-than-expected performances in certain end markets. Discrete semiconductors are projected to grow by 5.8% in 2023, while optoelectronic products, sensors, and integrated circuits are anticipated to experience declines of 3%, 10.9%, and 8.9% respectively. Europe is the only market expected to expand, with a growth rate of 5.9%, while the American market is predicted to decline by 6.1%, Japan by 2%, and the Asia-Pacific region by 14.4%. In 2024, growth is anticipated across all major markets and semiconductor product categories, including memory, discrete semiconductors, optoelectronics, and sensors. Europe is predicted to grow by 4.3%, Japan by 4.4%, the American market by 22.3%, and the Asia-Pacific region by 12%.