Japan-U.S. joint statement to strengthen development of next-generation ‘semiconductors’ = report

Japan-U.S. Joint Statement on Semiconductor Development

It has become clear that Japan and the United States are expected to issue a joint statement on the 26th regarding semiconductors and cutting-edge/important technologies. It is seen as a move to compete with China in technological development as China increases its influence on the international stage.

According to the original draft of the joint statement, which was confirmed by the Yomiuri Shimbun, both Japan and the United States intend to formulate a roadmap for the development of next-generation semiconductors. The aim is not only to strengthen the semiconductor supply chain, but also to create a concrete schedule for technology development and human resource development for next-generation semiconductors.

The details of this joint statement will be finalized at a meeting between Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Nishimura and Secretary of Commerce Remond in Detroit on the 26th.

Intensifying conflict between the United States and China from the perspective of security appears to be behind the joint formulation of the next-generation semiconductor development between Japan and the United States. The United States has stepped up its guard against China over the past year.

In September, the Biden administration strengthened investment screening with the aim of restraining investment in the United States targeting US technology and personal information.In October, it imposed export controls on semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing equipment to China. . Meanwhile, China’s Internet regulator banned the use of products from the US company Micron Technology (MU.O) in May this year.

The export restrictions are also affecting the cryptocurrency market. US GPU maker NVIDIA has lost the opportunity to sell GPUs in the virtual currency market as Ethereum (ETH) has moved to PoS (Proof of Stake) and mining has ended. However, with the growth of the metaverse (virtual space) and AI (artificial intelligence market), the demand for GPUs is expected to increase, and the company is focusing on that technology area.

In particular, the artificial intelligence boom, including OpenAI’s chatbot ChatGPT, has led to a surge in demand for GPUs. Additionally, with the U.S. banning the sale of AI chips to China, Chinese giants (e.g. Baidu) are now hoarding NVIDIA’s AI GPUs available on the market, DigiTimes reports.

In addition, Intel, which aims to strengthen its supply chain in the United States, is accelerating the in-house production of semiconductors under its “IDM 2.0” strategy. Along with this, according to a Reuters report on April 18, Intel has announced a policy to stop accepting orders for the Bitcoin mining chip “Blockscale 1000 Series ASIC” by October 20.

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Japan-U.S. cooperative system

The draft of the joint statement states that “deepening cooperation between Japan and the United States is essential to enhance economic prosperity and economic security, as well as to maintain and strengthen the regional economic order.” There are also plans to collaborate between the “National Center for Semiconductor Technology,” which the US government will soon establish, and the “Advanced Semiconductor Technology Center,” which was established last year by the Japanese government.

On May 18, Prime Minister Kishida and Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Nishimura invited the top executives of global semiconductor companies such as Intel, Samsung Electronics, and IBM to the Prime Minister’s official residence to discuss the importance of semiconductors that support AI and other cutting-edge technologies. We just held an opinion exchange meeting about.

On the 21st, the governments of Japan and the United States signed a memorandum of cooperation in the field of education with the aim of promoting research on quantum computers and semiconductors. As part of this, US companies have decided to invest a total of 210 million dollars (approximately 29 billion yen) in the University of Tokyo and others.

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