--- title: "Japan offers \"half-price factory construction + full subsidies,\" Samsung and SK Hynix remain cautious about investing in Japan" description: "According to reports, despite Japan offering generous conditions of \"halving factory costs and providing full subsidies,\" Samsung and SK Hynix remain cautious about investing in Japan due to domestic " type: "news" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/276705041.md" published_at: "2026-02-24T08:38:29.000Z" --- # Japan offers "half-price factory construction + full subsidies," Samsung and SK Hynix remain cautious about investing in Japan > According to reports, despite Japan offering generous conditions of "halving factory costs and providing full subsidies," Samsung and SK Hynix remain cautious about investing in Japan due to domestic public opinion and political pressure in South Korea. This stands in stark contrast to TSMC and Micron, which have received substantial subsidies and are accelerating their expansion in Japan The Japanese government has thrown out highly attractive investment conditions to South Korea's storage chip giants, but Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have failed to make substantial investment decisions for years. On February 24, according to Trend Force, **despite the fact that the cost of building a factory in Japan may be only half that of South Korea and can receive comprehensive policy support, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix remain cautious due to domestic public opinion pressure and constraints from stakeholders.** SK Hynix recently officially denied a report by Nikkei News about its plan to invest 2 trillion yen in building a storage chip factory in Japan. According to Chosun Biz, **Samsung and SK Hynix have received multiple invitations from the Japanese government to build factories over the past few years, but the related proposals have always been on hold.** The report states that this cautious attitude sharply contrasts with the rapid expansion of chip manufacturers like TSMC and Micron in Japan. The Japanese government has provided up to 476 billion yen in subsidies to TSMC's Kumamoto factory and up to 500 billion yen in support for Micron's HBM chip factory in Hiroshima, highlighting its determination to revitalize the semiconductor industry. Analysts believe that the hesitation of South Korean companies may affect their competitive position in the global semiconductor supply chain restructuring, especially in key areas like high-bandwidth memory, where competitors are accelerating capacity deployment through bases in Japan. ## Cost Advantages Cannot Mask Political Concerns According to Chosun Biz, citing executives from Samsung Electronics' semiconductor division, the initial investment and total ownership costs of building and operating a storage chip factory in Japan may be only about half that of South Korea. > The Japanese government offers a "full support package," including tax reductions, infrastructure assistance, labor support, and connections with local equipment suppliers. In contrast, domestic factories in South Korea have almost no substantial incentives and often incur additional costs. However, Chosun Biz points out that the main reason Samsung and SK Hynix have delayed building factories in Japan is due to domestic public opinion and pressure from government and local stakeholders. Although from a cost and long-term growth perspective, a factory in Japan may be the safest choice, the impact of these external constraints seems to outweigh the financial advantages. According to SeDaily and Chosun Biz, executives from both companies have conducted preliminary cost estimates for building semiconductor factories in Japan over the past few years, but discussions have never progressed to actual investment decisions or production line planning stages. ## International Competitors Accelerate Layout in Japan The report states that in contrast to the cautious attitude of South Korea's storage chip giants, TSMC and Micron are rapidly expanding in Japan. **According to Chosun Biz, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has provided up to 476 billion yen in subsidies to TSMC's Japanese subsidiary JASM's Kumamoto factory, followed by additional support for the second phase of investment.** According to Yomiuri Shimbun, TSMC has finalized plans to mass-produce Japan's first 3-nanometer chips in Kumamoto, with a total investment expected to reach $17 billion (approximately 2.6 trillion yen). **Storage chip company Micron is also strengthening its layout in Japan.** According to Nikkei News and Reuters, by the end of 2025, Micron will invest 1.5 trillion yen ($9.6 billion) to build a new HBM chip factory in Hiroshima Construction will begin in May at the existing site, with shipments expected to start around 2028. The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is providing up to 500 billion yen in support for the project. **Chosun Biz points out that the Japanese government continues to support the production base jointly operated by Western Digital and Kioxia.** In 2024, Western Digital announced that its capital investments in the 8th and 9th generation 3D flash memory at Kioxia's Yokkaichi (Mie Prefecture) and Kitakami (Iwate Prefecture) factories have been certified by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, qualifying for investment subsidies. According to the official press release, the total support received by the two factories includes up to 150 billion yen, with an additional 92.9 billion yen provided under the specific semiconductor production facility development plan approved in July 2022 ### Related Stocks - [SOXX.US - iShares Semiconductor ETF](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SOXX.US.md) - [PSI.US - Invesco Semiconductors ETF](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/PSI.US.md) - [159995.CN - ChinaAMC Guozheng Semiconductor Chip ETF](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/159995.CN.md) - [SMH.US - VanEck Semiconductor ETF](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SMH.US.md) - [562820.CN - Harvest CSI All Share Integrated Circuit ETF](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/562820.CN.md) - [03132.HK - SAMSUNG SEMICON](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/03132.HK.md) - [TSM.US - Taiwan Semiconductor](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/TSM.US.md) - [002224.CN - SANLUX](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/002224.CN.md) - [159516.CN - Guotai CSI Semiconductor Material Equipment Theme ETF](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/159516.CN.md) - [588170.CN - ChinaAMC SSE STAR Semiconductor Material & Equipment Thematic ETF](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/588170.CN.md) ## Related News & Research | Title | Description | URL | |-------|-------------|-----| | 马年首家！盛合晶微 IPO 过会 | 盛合晶微半导体有限公司于 2 月 24 日成功通过上交所上市审核，成为马年首家科创板过会企业，拟募资 48 亿元。公司专注于集成电路晶圆级先进封测，致力于支持高性能芯片，尤其是 GPU、CPU 和 AI 芯片。此次 IPO 资金将用于三维多 | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/276719832.md) | | SK 海力士高盛电话会：所有客户需求都无法满足，今年存储价格持续上涨 | SK 海力士在高盛电话会上释放强烈信号：存储行业已全面进入卖方市场。受 AI 真实需求驱动及洁净室空间受限影响，今年存储价格将持续上涨。公司透露目前 DRAM 及 NAND 库存仅剩约 4 周，且没有任何客户能完全满足需求。随着 2026 | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/276505903.md) | | 库克兑现 6000 亿美元承诺：苹果加速休斯顿 AI 服务器生产，Mac mini 将首次实现 “美国制造” | 苹果 2 月 24 日宣布，今年晚些将在休斯顿首次启动 Mac mini 美国制造，并扩大 AI 服务器产能。自去年承诺 6000 亿美元对美投资以来，苹果已从 12 州采购超 200 亿颗芯片，台积电、环球晶圆、艾克尔等供应链项目相继落地 | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/276740313.md) | | SK 会长崔泰源警告：AI 正在吞噬一切，今年千亿美元利润或瞬间变巨亏 | SK 会长崔泰源发出严厉警示：AI 正在吞噬一切，技术变革的剧烈波动让年度规划失去意义。虽然 SK 海力士预期利润飙升至 1000 亿美元，但市场扭曲、能源瓶颈及技术迭代正让行业陷入 “双刃剑” 困境，领先者亦难逃生存危机。 | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/276526102.md) | | 雷军：未来五年小米将重点攻坚芯片、AI、操作系统等底层核心技术 | 小米集团董事长兼 CEO 雷军在民营企业座谈会上表示，未来五年小米将重点攻坚芯片、AI、操作系统等底层核心技术。他强调，民营经济促进法的实施为企业提供了更好的营商环境，支持政策更加精准。雷军指出，民营企业应与国家发展战略同频共振，专注于创新 | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/276701602.md) | --- > **Disclaimer**: This article is for reference only and does not constitute any investment advice.