TSMC founder Morris Chang speaks during the opening ceremony for a chip factory in Japan's Kumamoto prefecture on Feb. 24. (Photo by Toshiki Sasazu)
Technology

TSMC founder Morris Chang predicts Japan 'chip renaissance'

Industry veteran says AI chip execs are asking for huge capacity increases

24 February 2024
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. opened its factory in Kumamoto, Japan, on Feb. 24. (Photo by Arisa Moriyama)
Semiconductors

TSMC opens first chip plant in Japan for Sony and Renesas

Prime Minister Kishida announces support for company's second plant in Kumamoto

24 February 2024
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, inspects infantry fighting vehicles in November 2015. (Reuters/Alexei Nikolskyi/Sputnik/Kremlin)
Ukraine war

Russia procures tank parts from Japan and Taiwan via China

Documents show company in Shenzhen used to evade U.S., U.K. sanctions

23 February 2024
After Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. announced its first Japanese chip plant in Kumamoto, regional demand for investing in the southwestern prefecture surged. (Photo by Shinya Sawai) 
Business Spotlight

TSMC's Japan chip venture spurs investment rush

In Kumamoto and beyond, companies cash in on the Taiwanese chipmaker's expansion

23 February 2024
Members of Taiwan's coast guard inspect a vessel that capsized during a chase off the coast of the Kinmen archipelago on Feb. 14.
Taiwan tensions

Taiwan and China spar over capsizing, inspections near Kinmen islands

Beijing's 'salami-slicing' tactics increase odds of accident escalating tensions

22 February 2024
Taiwan's Starlux Airlines has placed an order with Airbus for five A350 freighters and three A330neo wide-body passenger jets, which will be delivered across 2025 and 2026.
Aerospace & Defense Industries

Airbus, Boeing win fresh deals with Asian carriers despite supply woes

Taiwan's Starlux orders first freighters, Thai Airways inks nation's largest order

21 February 2024
Anti-landing barricades are seen on the beach with China's Xiamen in the background in Kinmen, Taiwan on Dec. 19, 2023.
Taiwan tensions

China says no banned areas around Taiwan islands after two killed

Taipei has defended the actions of its coast guard near Kinmen islands

18 February 2024
Nawaz Sharif, center, addresses during an election campaign rally in Hafizabad, Pakistan on January 18.
Editor-in-Chief’s Picks

Letter from Nikkei Asia's editor: Nothing left to chance

Shin Nakayama shares his weekly reflections and recommendations

9 February 2024
LCY Group Chairman Bowei Lee said increasing doctoral students is crucial for Taiwan’s long-term tech competitiveness. (Photo by Cheng Ting-Fang)
Supply Chain

More Ph.D. students 'vital' for Taiwan chip industry, says TSMC supplier

LCY chairman joins chorus warning about long-term effects of doctoral drop-off

8 February 2024
TSMC is focused on making its most advanced chips at home in Taiwan while shifting more output of other products overseas.
Semiconductors

TSMC speeds diversification push with new Japan chip plant

Taiwan chipmaker expands overseas output to focus on the cutting edge at home

8 February 2024
A model of the LY-70 air defense missile weapon system is displayed at Airshow China in Zhuhai, China in 2021. Beijing's military buildup is partly aimed at convincing the U.S. to accept China as a major power, analysts say.  
Indo-Pacific

Xi's playbook for China is different from what U.S. thinks, scholars say

Taiwan, tech and nuclear policies all related to domestic politics

7 February 2024
The Chinese Communist Party's Taiwan Work Office held a Lunar New Year gala with "Taiwan compatriots" including a movie director and Taiwanese students studying in Beijing. (Photo from Taiwan Work Office website)
Taiwan tensions

China courts Taiwan civil and business groups in unification push

Mainland's Taiwan affairs chief hosts back-to-back events with cultural and business leaders

7 February 2024
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. controls over half the global foundry market and is a key player in cutting-edge chips as well. (TSMC)
Semiconductors

TSMC's second Japan plant advances Tokyo ambitions on chip supply

Big subsidies, lower costs provide edge in race to reshape global supply chains

7 February 2024
Toyota will invest in Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing, a TSMC subsidiary that will operate its Kumamoto plant. (Photo by Arisa Moriyama)
Business deals

Toyota to invest in TSMC arm for 2nd Kumamoto chip plant in Japan

Automaker joins Denso and Sony in providing funds to boost key semiconductor industry

6 February 2024
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping: Moscow and Beijing use AI to shape public sentiment in Ukraine and Taiwan. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Reuters)
Comment

China and Russia bolster disinformation arsenal with real facts

Stealth campaigns seek to manipulate public opinion in Taiwan and Ukraine

4 February 2024
The money laundering trials of two Taiwanese men has links to Southeast Asian cyberscam rings, authorities say. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Reuters)
Crime

Taiwan money laundering trials spotlight Asian cyberscam sector

'Major' cases track flow of money from casinos, online gaming operations

3 February 2024
Gamers across Asia are struggling to find the RTX 4090 in stores as the Nvidia-made graphic card becomes a hot commodity in Hong Kong and China (Source photos by Lauly Li and Reuters) 
Business Spotlight

Nvidia chip prices soar in Asia on U.S. curbs and AI boom

Gamers feel the pinch as graphics cards become targets of latest export controls

2 February 2024
Former Taiwanese presidential candidate Han Kuo-yu speaks at a Kuomintang election rally in Kaohsiung on Jan. 7.
Taiwan elections

Taiwanese legislature picks populist China-leaning speaker

Election of Han Kuo-yu raises questions about defense spending to counter Beijing

1 February 2024
MediaTek designs chips for smartphone manufacturers such as China's Xiaomi and Oppo. (Photo by Norio Matsumoto)
Semiconductors

Taiwan chip designer MediaTek's profit jumps on mobile demand

CEO says generative AI is creating a bigger market for high-end phones

1 February 2024
Taiwan’s Vice President and President-elect Lai Ching-te, right, meets with the co-chairs of the U.S. Congressional Taiwan Caucus -- Democrat Rep. Ami Bera, second from left, and Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, left -- in Taipei on Jan. 25. (Taiwan Presidential Office/AP)
The Nikkei View

U.S. should stay committed to Asia's security

Deterring Chinese aggression and engaging with Beijing are both important

31 January 2024
Simon Ong, Liteon associate vice president of cloud infrastructure platform and solutions, says more sophisticated cooling technologies are needed in the wake of the AI data center boom. (Photo by Lai Yung Hsiang)
Supply Chain

AI boom drives demand for server-cooling technology

Taiwan's Liteon betting on liquid solutions for hot, power-hungry chips

31 January 2024
Artificial intelligence, especially generative AI, took the tech sector by storm in 2023.
Technology

Hunt for future AI winners heats up amid tech earnings season

TSMC, Nvidia and IBM shares gain on generative AI boom, while Intel falls behind

30 January 2024
Then-U.S. President Donald Trump sits behind the Resolute desk in the Oval Office in July 2019. Trump has compared China to the desk and Taiwan to the tip of a Sharpie.
U.S. elections 2024

Would a Trump presidency change China's calculations on Taiwan?

Republican candidate's indifference on island is among 'worst kept secrets in Washington'

30 January 2024
Stream article image
Indo-Pacific

Nikkei Film: Solomon Islands, the divisions created by pro-China policy

Even a hegemonic power cannot easily impose its will on the island nation

28 January 2024
You Si-kun, a strong advocate of Taiwanese sovereignty, has been in the public eye for four decades and now is the speaker of the legislature. (Legislative Yuan)
International relations

Taiwan has broken China's 'diplomatic blockade,' legislative speaker says

75-year-old You Si-kun fears opposition efforts to scupper defense spending

26 January 2024