Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is planning to begin installing equipment and mass-producing 3-nanometre wafers at its second fabrication plant in Japan in 2028. The company aims to produce 15,000 12-inch wafers per month at the site using advanced 3nm process technology, according to a report by Reuters.
TSMC responded to AIM’s query stating that this update follows a meeting between CC Wei, President and CEO of TSMC and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on February 5. In the meeting, Wei stated that TSMC is now planning to use 3nm process technology for production at JASM's (Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing) second fab, currently under construction in Kumamoto, to meet strong demand driven by AI.
The revised plan marks a shift from TSMC’s earlier Japan strategy, which focused on mature semiconductor nodes.
The first Japan fab began volume production in late 2024. TSMC established its Japan unit, JASM, in 2021 with support from Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation. DENSO Corporation and Toyota Motor Corporation also later joined the venture as minority investors.
In 2024, the company said total investment in its first and second Japan fabs would exceed $20 billion. These facilities were set to produce one lakh 12-inch wafers per month using 40nm, 22/28nm, 12/16nm and 6/7nm technologies.
Japanese newspaper The Yomiuri Shimbun reported in February that investment in the second plant could reach $17 billion.
[Note: This story has been updated for clarity, with additional inputs from TSMC.]
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