Japan Invests 250 Billion Yen in Rapidus for 2nm Chips

The Government of Japan and 32 private-sector companies, including Sony, Toyota, and SoftBank, have secured 250 billion yen in funding for Rapidus, a state-backed venture developing 2-nanometer logic chips. Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Ryosei Akazawa detailed a funding structure consisting of an initial 100 billion yen investment and 150 billion yen earmarked for the 2026 fiscal year. Private sector contributions totaled $1.07 billion, surpassing the government's initial target of 130 billion yen.

To ensure economic security and protect against foreign influence, the government holds golden shares granting it veto power over board decisions. While the state currently holds 11.5% of voting rights, the agreement allows the government to seize majority control if the company encounters operational or financial distress.

CEO Atsuyoshi Koike announced that Rapidus is in active discussions with over 60 potential customers for chips used in AI, robotics, and edge computing. The company has opened a pilot line and demonstrated working 2nm gate-all-around transistors using High-NA EUV lithography equipment from ASML and technology transfer from IBM. The venture aims to achieve mass production by fiscal year 2027 at the IIM-1 foundry in Chitose, Hokkaido.