Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) has scheduled a board meeting in Kumamoto, Japan, on Monday, marking the first time the world's largest contract chipmaker would hold such a meeting in the country, a source close to the event said yesterday.
National Development Council Minister Yeh Chun-hsien (葉俊顯), who represents the government as an institutional board director of TSMC, would travel to Kumamoto to attend the meeting, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous.
The board meeting was planned by the company after TSMC chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) yesterday met with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the source said.
Photo: Mike Kai Chen, Bloomberg
In the meeting, Wei said that the company was planning to produce advanced 3-nanometer (nm) chips at its second fab in Kumamoto, to cater to growing global demand for artificial intelligence (AI).
TSMC began mass production at its first plant in Kumamoto in late 2024, with backing from Japanese companies, including Sony Group Corp and Toyota Motor Corp.
Its second fab, which is still under construction, was originally to focus on manufacturing 6nm to 12nm chips, which are significantly less advanced than the 3nm process.
The facility is scheduled to begin production late next year.
According to Japanese news reports, Takaichi called the news "thrilling" and said that her government was willing to provide financial support to see the plan through to fruition.
TSMC's updated plans would bring its total investment in the second fab to US$17 billion, up from US$12.2 billion, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported.
Responding to TSMC's plan to produce chips using the 3nm process in Kumamoto, Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) yesterday told reporters that the chipmaker had mapped out its global investments to meet the needs of its clients.
In the current AI boom, TSMC's investment plans are subject to changes in the market, Kung said.
Despite its overseas expansion, TSMC is unlikely to cut its investments in Taiwan, and instead, the company is expected to pour more funds into the local market, he added.
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