Japan Earthquake Shakes Semiconductor Chain: Kioxia NAND Production Halted, Critical Photoresist Plants Idle for 4-8 Weeks
Wallstreetcn·- On April 20, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of northeastern Japan, affecting key semiconductor regions and raising supply chain concerns. - Kioxia's NAND factory in Iwate has paused operations for inspections, with uncertain timelines for full recovery, while the photolithography supply chain faces significant pressures with major factories halting production. - Analysts emphasize that the recovery of TOK and Shin-Etsu’s production lines will be critical to watch in the coming weeks, as their facilities account for a substantial share of the global advanced photolithography capacity.