TSMC plans 3-nanometre chip production launch in Japan in 2028

TAIPEI: TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, is expected to launch equipment installation and mass production of 3-nanometre wafers in 2028 at its second factory in Japan, according to a Taiwanese government filing late on Tuesday.

In February, TSMC CEO CC Wei said the company plans to mass-produce advanced 3-nanometre chips at its second fabrication plant in Japan, during a meeting with Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

Under the revised plan, its second chip-making plant in Japan will have a monthly production capacity of 15,000 12-inch wafers through advanced 3-nanometre process technology, the filing said on Tuesday.

TSMC’s previous plans for Japan focused on the less-advanced technologies. In 2024, the company said that total investment in the first and second fabs would exceed $20 billion, with combined monthly production capacity of 100,000 12-inch wafers using less-advanced 40, 22/28, 12/16 and 6/7-nanometre process technologies.

Japanese newspaper Yomiuri reported in February that investment for the second fab plant will roughly touch $17 billion, but TSMC has not disclosed the figure yet and also declined to comment on the reported investment figure.

The company’s first fab plant in Japan started volume production in late 2024.

TSMC established its Japan unit, Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing, in 2021 with support from Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation.

Japan’s DENSO Corporation and Toyota Motor Corporation later joined as minority investors.‑Reuters