Japan's PM hints at semiconductor subsidies as part of wider growth plan

Japan will join the ranks of nations betting on silicon-fuelled growth after prime minister Fumio Kishida yesterday instructed his cabinet to put together an economic stimulus package that includes tax breaks for capital investment and R&D related to semiconductors. The PM's Monday pitch included labor market reforms, further …

[Pascal Monett]

Hey, do what you can, right ?

I'm not surprised that Japan wishes to splurge on chip tech, it's mainstream these days. I am a bit sceptical about where they'll build a plant, though.

Japan is small, and heavily populated. Any new build is going to have be outside of residential space and what little agricultural space there is. To me, that basically leaves the mountainside.

Now, the interesting thing is that a chip fab in the mountains shouldn't have too much trouble with water supply, so there's that. But it will be a lot more expensive to build than a fab on the flats of Arizona (where there is little water). Of course, there's always the possibility of creating an artificial island, but then there's the pure water issue . . .

In any case, I wish good luck to that fab and I hope that the used water treatment process will ensure that no contaminants get to the water table.