Japan offers $530 mn to Sumco to boost wafer capacity

Japan will give Sumco Corp, a major maker of silicon wafers, a subsidy of up to 75 billion yen ($530 million) to fund additional capacity as part of efforts to bolster the country’s semiconductor industry, the Nikkei newspaper reported.
Sumco plans to invest 225 billion yen in factory buildings and equipment, with the subsidy from Japan’s METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) covering a third of the cost.

Japan offers subsidy to chipmakers and suppliers, including Taiwan’s TSMC, to reinvigorate the industry domestically and as countries extend control over a supply chain vital to key sectors.