The United States and Japan have agreed to establish a new joint research centre for next-generation semiconductors during the so-called economic “two-plus-two” ministerial meeting in Washington.
In reuters news piece, Japanese Trade Minister Koichi Hagiuda said “Japan will quickly move to action” on next-generation semiconductor research and said Washington and Tokyo had agreed to launch a “new R&D organization” to establish a secure source of the vital components.
The research hub would be open for other “like-minded” countries to participate in, he added.
Japan’s Nikkei Shimbun newspaper earlier said it would be set up in Japan by the end of 2022 to research 2-nanometer semiconductor chips. It will include a prototype production line and should begin producing semiconductors by 2025, the newspaper said.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo explained, “Ssemiconductors are the linchpin of our economic and national security and we discussed collaboration on semiconductors, especially with respect to advanced semiconductors.”
The United States and Japan will work together “to foster supply chain resilience in strategic sectors, including, in particular, semiconductors, batteries, and critical minerals.”
