TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Osanai Atsushi, a professor at Waseda University Business School, said that Taiwan is Japan's foremost partner in the semiconductor sector and emphasized that deeper collaboration between the two countries could generate significant mutual benefits.
He made the remark during a forum hosted by Business Today in June, which focused on global supply chain restructuring, AI applications, sustainable development, and innovations in the medical and biotech industries.
Osanai noted that Taiwan is especially strong in transforming technology into commercial value, while Japan excels at innovating within existing scientific research. He pointed to TSMC’s wafer fab in Kumamoto, JASM, as a successful example of combining technological advancement and business opportunity, per Business Today.
By contrast, he cited Japanese chipmaker Rapidus, which prioritizes advanced R&D over market considerations. Rapidus launched a 2-nanometer pilot production line in April and aims to begin mass production by 2027. However, Osanai warned that because the company’s primary customers are US-based AI chip firms, it may face challenges due to US tariff policies.
Osanai also addressed broader geopolitical and economic pressures. He said that under the Trump administration, the US urged Japan to limit the export of semiconductor equipment and materials to China, while simultaneously imposing high tariffs on Japanese products.
Osanai noted that this dual pressure has made Japan’s semiconductor exports to the US increasingly complex and challenging. He stressed that Japan should not accept such demands from the US without careful consideration.
In discussing the future of the semiconductor industry, Osanai emphasized that stronger Japan-Taiwan cooperation could also help drive growth in the EV sector. Since semiconductors are key components in EVs, and with EV number expected to rise, he added that demand for semiconductors will continue to grow.
