The Ministry of Economic Affairs plans to set up a trade and investment center in Fukuoka in the northern Kyushu region of Japan to help Taiwanese firms expand their reach in the country, Minister of Economic Affairs J.W. Kuo (郭智輝) said on Tuesday.
As Taiwan and Japan’s economies are complementary to each other, both sides are expected to work together to strengthen economic development, Kuo said.
More specifically, Taiwan is at the core of the supply chain of the global semiconductor industry, boasting a comprehensive production network, and with Kyushu as a semiconductor base in Japan, both sides can work together, he said.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Economic Affairs
The minister’s remarks came as he met with a delegation from Kyushu, which included representatives from the Kyushu Economic Federation (KEF), to discuss economic cooperation between Taiwan and Japan.
Kuo said the plan to open the Fukuoka trade and investment center would allow Taiwanese firms to establish a presence in Japan, while the center is expected to consolidate the ministry’s resources to help integrate Taiwan’s and Japan’s semiconductor development.
By taking advantage of the semiconductor development of both sides, Taiwan and Japan are expected to extend their cooperation to artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and drones, he said.
KEF chairman Sumio Kuratomi said Kyushu last year approved the “Silicon Island Kyushu” plan, in which the region would make semiconductors a part of its core development strategy to reinforce infrastructure, cultivate a talent and push for industrial innovation.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s (台積電) investments to build two advanced wafer fabs in Kumamoto have turned a new page for the Japanese semiconductor industry and paved the way for cooperation between Taiwan and Japan, he said.
During the meeting, the ministry and the KEF delegation not only discussed semiconductors, but also covered AI and electric vehicle development.
The two sides also agreed to provide assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises looking to enter the international market.
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