“It is not the purpose of closing related factories… negotiable”
Regarding Japan’s decision to more or less participate in the US-led semiconductor export controls to China, the domestic semiconductor industry predicted that the impact on Korean companies would not be significant.
The Japanese government announced on the 31st that it would amend the sub-regulations of related laws to expand the items that require economic and industrial permits for the export of semiconductor-related high-tech items.
Although the Japanese government did not specifically mention China, it is understood to be in compliance with the US regulation on the export of high-tech semiconductor equipment to China.
This is because the US had previously asked Japan and the Netherlands to join export controls. The Netherlands also announced earlier this month that it would tighten controls on exports of semiconductor technology.
23 items are subject to Japan’s export controls, including exposure devices that record delicate circuit patterns on boards and devices used for cleaning and inspection.
Many domestic companies use some semiconductor equipment, such as photomask inspection equipment used in exposure equipment, as Japanese companies occupy an overwhelming share in the global market.
Japan’s Tokyo Electron, which produces extreme ultraviolet (EUV) processing equipment, is one of the top 5 semiconductor equipment manufacturers in the world along with ASML of the Netherlands.
Domestic companies such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, which have production centers in China, are keeping a close eye on the situation and believe that there will be no problems with the operation of their factories.
Regarding Japan’s latest action, an industry insider said, “I don’t think it will have a big impact on the domestic industry.”
“The intention of the regulation is to contain the Chinese semiconductor industry, not to force related factories to close,” he added.
In October last year, the US government began restricting equipment exports targeting China, saying it would hamper China’s high-tech semiconductor production for national security reasons.
Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have been granted a one-year regulatory grace period for their factories in China.
Samsung Electronics operates NAND flash production plants and semiconductor post-processing (packaging) plants in Xian and Suzhou, China, respectively.
SK Hynix operates the Wuxi DRAM plant, the Chongqing back-end processing plant, and the Dalian NAND plant acquired by Intel.
Reporter Kim Jin-hee of Helloty |
