Strategic Investment Bolsters Japan's Semiconductor Future
FUJIFILM Corporation announced on February 27, 2026, the completion of a 5 billion yen investment in Rapidus Corporation, a key player in Japan's drive to establish domestic mass production of leading-edge logic semiconductors. This strategic move aims to support Rapidus's ambitious goal of manufacturing advanced 2-nanometer (nm) chips in Japan, a critical step towards strengthening the nation's position in the global semiconductor industry.
Rapidus: Pioneering 2nm Technology in Japan
Established in August 2022, Rapidus Corporation was founded with the backing of eight major Japanese companies, including Denso, Kioxia, MUFG Bank, NEC, NTT, SoftBank, Sony, and Toyota. The company's core mission is to achieve mass production of 2nm logic semiconductors by 2027. Rapidus has made significant technological strides, including partnering with IBM for 2nm node technology development and with the Belgium-based Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre (IMEC) for advanced semiconductor technologies. The company installed Japan's first advanced Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machinery and began prototyping 2nm gate-all-around (GAA) transistor structures in July 2025 at its Innovative Integration for Manufacturing (IIM-1) foundry in Chitose, Hokkaido.
Fujifilm's Expanding Role in Electronic Materials
Fujifilm's investment in Rapidus aligns with its broader strategy to expand its semiconductor materials business, which has experienced substantial growth, with sales increasing by approximately 20% annually from fiscal year 2021 to 2024. The company aims to achieve 500 billion yen in sales in this sector by fiscal year 2030. As a leading manufacturer of semiconductor materials, Fujifilm will provide Rapidus with a diverse range of essential products and technologies, including
- Photoresists
- Photolithography-related materials
- Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) slurries
- Color filter materials for image sensors
A National Imperative for Semiconductor Independence
The investment by Fujifilm is part of a larger national effort to revitalize Japan's semiconductor industry and secure a stable domestic supply of advanced chips. Rapidus has recently secured a total of 267.6 billion yen (approximately $1.7 billion) in fresh funding, comprising 100 billion yen from the Japanese government's Information-Technology Promotion Agency (IPA) under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and 167.6 billion yen from 32 private companies. This substantial backing underscores the strategic importance placed on Rapidus's success, with the Japanese government holding 'golden shares' that grant veto power over major corporate decisions and the option to convert non-voting shares into voting shares in case of financial distress. Rapidus's total capital and legal surplus now stands at nearly 275 billion yen, including its initial funding.
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