A recent survey by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) shows that Japanese companies operating in Vietnam remain committed to expansion, even as they increasingly view China as their main competitive threat

Samsung Electronics' foundry business is reportedly preparing price increases for certain process technologies, including 4nm and 8nm nodes, with hikes reportedly around 10%. Despite the adjustment, Samsung is expected to maintain a pricing advantage over TSMC as TSMC continues to raise its own wafer prices

To meet the surging demand driven by AI, TSMC is upgrading its second wafer fab under construction in Kumamoto, Japan, to use more advanced 3nm process technology. This development was personally conveyed by TSMC chairman C.C. Wei to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi

Global DRAM supply remains tight, pushing major PC makers, including HP, Dell, Acer, and Asus, to consider sourcing memory chips for the first time from Chinese suppliers such as ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) to offset price surges driven by booming AI demand

Intel and AMD are facing acute server CPU shortages in China, with delivery times for some Intel products stretching to as long as six months, driven by surging AI data center demand and intensifying pressure across the global chip supply chain

Global quantum technology is shifting from research to commercialization. South Korea is advancing its national strategy centered on its first quantum comprehensive plan. The government recently unveiled its first quantum cluster basic plan. The aim is to build a robust quantum ecosystem and catch up with the currently leading countries

TSMC has made a significant change in its process plan for the Kumamoto second fab, confirming an upgrade from the initially planned 6/7nm node to 3nm. This facility will become Japan's first 3nm wafer fab, while Japan-backed Rapidus advances toward 2nm development

Japanese semiconductor startup Rapidus has secured more than JPY160 billion (US$1.02 billion) in private funding for fiscal 2025, surpassing its initial JPY130 billion target, according to a report by Nikkei on February 4. SoftBank Group and Sony Group each invested JPY21 billion to become the company's largest shareholders, while IBM is also reportedly preparing to join the round, adding international backing. The funding surge signals strong investor confidence and aligns with Japan's push to reinforce domestic semiconductor self-sufficiency

In November 2025, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said the company would prioritize the supply of 260,000 GPUs to South Korea, a move that quickly drew industry attention. In 2026, as South Korea accelerates the development of "data factories" and practical talent programs for physical AI, Nvidia plans to deepen partnerships to support ecosystem expansion and sustain its own growth

China's smartphone market ended 2025 on a weaker note than expected, despite Apple's strong fourth-quarter earnings and the early success of the iPhone 17. December shipments fell sharply, dragging full-year volumes down and dimming hopes of a broader market rebound

Sony has recently chosen to partner with TCL in managing its Bravia TV brand, reflecting the long-standing downturn of the Japanese vendor's television business. In Japan, once-dominant domestic TV brands have largely been replaced by rising Chinese competitors

Huawei announced on February 4 that it will hold a product launch event titled "Now is Your Run" on February 26 in Madrid, Spain. The company plans to introduce a diverse lineup, including wearables, smartphones, earphones, and tablets, showcasing its latest advancements in sports health, imaging experience, and multi-scenario smart ecosystems

As global competition in the semiconductor industry intensifies, the focus is no longer limited to technology and production capacity. Protection of data, intellectual property, and supply chains has become an equally critical battleground

Nvidia has recently signaled to Samsung Electronics that it hopes to secure early deliveries of sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory, known as HBM4. At the same time, as memory makers devote an increasing share of capacity to HBM production, shortages of conventional memory chips have begun to emerge, strengthening suppliers' bargaining power across the industry