Japan’s Semiconductor National Team Vows to Build a Chip Factory on the Moon by 2040 | WPN World People News

Rapidus, the Japanese technology company hailed as the semiconductor industry’s “Mount Fuji protecting the nation,” has recently unveiled an ambitious vision that has stunned the world. Led by 74-year-old industry veteran Atsuyoshi Koike, the company is determined to revitalize Japan’s advanced semiconductor capabilities. During a speech at a U.S. think tank in early September this year, Koike publicly announced plans to venture into space around 2040 and build an advanced chip manufacturing facility on the surface of the Moon.

At the event, Koike presented AI-generated images depicting his vision of the future. He emphasized that this was by no means a fanciful idea or a passing joke, noting that the lunar surface contains water resources essential for semiconductor manufacturing, providing a practical basis for establishing a production facility there.

As U.S. tech magnate Elon Musk is actively planning transportation routes to the Moon, Koike joked that Musk would surely appreciate such a forward-looking blueprint, drawing an enthusiastic response from the audience. Many observers believe the ambitious declaration was intended to inspire the company’s younger engineers to push beyond their limits.

Beyond its forward-looking plans for space, Rapidus is currently working with global technology giant IBM to accelerate the development of advanced semiconductor processes. The two companies are planning to mass-produce chips equivalent to the 2-nanometer class at a facility in Hokkaido, while also moving ahead with research into even more advanced 1-nanometer technology. Backed by funding from the Japanese government and several multinational technology giants, the company is striving to establish a mass-production system within the next few years. Through a competitive pricing strategy, Rapidus aims to reshape the global semiconductor landscape and realize its vision of domestic chip production.