Rapidus reportedly plans second Hokkaido fab for 1.4nm chips as funding gap widens, but company pushes back on timeline

Japan's Rapidus plans second cutting-edge chip plant: reports

Tokyo (AFP) Nov 26, 2025 Japanese chipmaker Rapidus plans to start building a second factory to produce cutting-edge semiconductors in a race with Taiwanese industry leader TSMC, local media reports said. Rapidus, a government-backed joint venture involving Sony, Toyota, IBM and others, is seen as an attempt to put Japan back on the map in the strategic sector. The company will start construction in the 2027-28

Rapidus reportedly plans second Hokkaido fab for 1.4nm chips as funding gap widens, but company pushes back on timeline

Rapidus plans to begin construction on a second fabrication plant in Chitose, Hokkaido, in fiscal 2027 to produce 1.4nm and eventually 1nm chips, according to reports from Nikkei and Yomiuri Shimbun. The move underscores Japan's push to return to the front of advanced logic manufacturing, even as Rapidus works to complete its 2nm process and secure the funding required to sustain its roadmap. However, the company has since denied this reported t…