Supply Chain

Toyota, Hino and Daihatsu will halt operations at plants in Japan on March 1, after a major supplier was hit by a suspected cyberattack. (Source photos by Reuters) 
Supply Chain

Toyota halts operations at all Japan plants due to cyberattack

Auto giant's supplier hit by ransomware; factories due to restart Wednesday

1 March 2022
Honor unveils its Magic 4 Pro phone, its first premium handset for the global market. (Photo courtesy of Honor)
China tech

China's Honor unveils first premium smartphone for global market

Former budget arm of Huawei aims to move into higher-end with Magic 4 series

28 February 2022
Semiconductors are a key focus of Japan's proposed economic security legislation, given their importance in smartphones, automobiles and other products.
Supply Chain

Japan to vet supply chains for chips, batteries under economic security law

Businesses fret over details and predictability of new safeguards

26 February 2022
Russia and Ukraine are major suppliers of industrial gases used in chipmaking. (Source photos by Reuters and TSMC)
Semiconductors

Ukraine conflict puts chipmakers on alert over supply of key gases

TSMC, UMC and SK Hynix among those reviewing stockpiles and sources

25 February 2022
The production line of silicon wafer at a factory in Jiaxing, China, pictured in May 2021: manufacturing capacity for less advanced semiconductors will grow rapidly.
Opinion

Global chip shortage may soon turn into an oversupply crisis

Only companies investing in advanced semiconductors will see their margins increase

24 February 2022
Russia and Ukraine export neon and other noble gases used to make semiconductors and related materials. (Photo courtesy of Disco)
Ukraine war

Anticipating retaliation, Japan scrambles to review Russian imports

Tokyo expects Moscow to freeze shipments of energy and chipmaking materials

23 February 2022
Ports on the U.S. West Coast, including Los Angeles, continue to face lengthy backlogs. (Photo by Hiona Shiraiwa)
Transportation

With U.S. ports clogged, Japanese exports take pricier Mexico route

Nippon Express doubles freight into country as delays stretch to weeks

21 February 2022
Liquefied natural gas storage tanks and a tanker at a Tokyo Electric Power power plant in Futtsu, near Tokyo.
Energy

U.S. LNG capacity to jump 20% as Europe shifts away from Russia

Country set to become top exporter of the fuel this year

19 February 2022
(Photo courtesy of National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University) 
Business Spotlight

Chip talent war: Taiwan faces critical staffing shortage

Semiconductor giants hike salaries to lure island's dwindling number of graduates

18 February 2022
Samsung is Vietnam's biggest foreign investor and exporter.
Technology

Samsung injects $920m into Vietnam factory

Funds will be used to build mobile components, local government says

17 February 2022
CEO Brand Cheng says Foxconn Industrial Internet "will first prioritize Asian markets, targeting China and Vietnam, where there are more manufacturing activities."
Supply Chain

Foxconn smart factory arm sees COVID-era growth in China, Vietnam

FII CEO Cheng says disruption is fueling demand for data-driven automation

17 February 2022
Gogoro of Taiwan has developed battery-swapping technology to power its electric scooters. (Photo by Cheng Ting-Fang)
Technology

Taiwan e-scooter maker Gogoro taps local suppliers to go global

Company aims for U.S. listing via SPAC by end of first quarter

16 February 2022
Auto parts maker Denso is expected to contribute tens of billions of yen to the construction of TSMC's new plant in Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan. (Source photos by Kai Fujii, Reuters and Kyodo) 
Semiconductors

TSMC lifts Japan chip plant investment, with Denso following Sony

Additional funding will help pay for 12-to-16-nm semiconductor line

15 February 2022
Auto parts maker Marelli has asked Mizuho Bank and other creditors to lengthen the grace period for its debt payments.
Automobiles

Marelli seeks help from Nissan, Mizuho amid cash crunch

KKR-owned auto parts maker likely to have logged loss for fourth straight year

15 February 2022
China's SMIC says its diverse client base and product offerings will help shield it from gluts in specific chip categories.
Semiconductors

China's SMIC says domestic chip demand to offset oversupply risk

National tech champion posted record 2021 earnings, expects robust 2022

11 February 2022
A container shortage has hit supplies of food and drink, such as french fries and wine, to Asia. (Source photos by AP, Getty Images and Kosaku Mimura) 
Supply Chain

French fries, wine -- Asia food sector hit by supply chain crunch

Indonesia and Malaysia, like Japan, grapple with potato shortage

10 February 2022
Honda will temporarily scale down production at its domestic assembly plants due to stalled supplies of some components following flooding in Malaysia in December. (Photo by Masaru Shioyama)
Automobiles

Honda hikes full-year earnings forecast to $5.8bn on tight supply

Carmaker to raise prices in U.S. amid surge in prices of materials

9 February 2022
The weak Japanese yen is translating into muscular profits for Toyota. (Photo by Masaru Shioyama)
Automobiles

Toyota reports record net profit of $20bn for April-December

Globe's biggest automaker frets over surging raw material prices

9 February 2022
ZTE said in its annual report that it gained market share in China last year for servers, core networks and storage solutions -- the three areas where Huawei is a key player. (Source photos by Reuters) 
China tech

China's ZTE boosts chip capabilities amid Huawei's crackdown woes

Telecom gear and smartphone maker works with TSMC on advanced processors

9 February 2022
A ceremony was held in December at Honda's plant in Saitama Prefecture to mark the end of production of finished cars at the facility. (Photo by Kotaro Abe) 
Automobiles

Honda to close 'mother factory' as it moves to all-electric future

Japanese carmaker's domestic production capacity down 40% from peak

6 February 2022
A display at the Semicon China trade fair in Shanghai. China's exports of high-tech products like semiconductors have risen as its economy has grown.
Supply Chain

Weak supply chain link: Japan reliant on Chinese phones, laptops

Goods from China account for more than Germany or U.S.: report

6 February 2022
Men work on a power utility pole in Japan's Chiba Prefecture. The electric grid is one of the 14 sectors to be subjected to a prescreening requirement for critical equipment.
Politics

Japan to screen power, gas and oil equipment for hacking risk

Government can block procurement by companies in 14 sectors covered by legislation

5 February 2022
Honda's Fit subcompact is assembled at a plant in Yorii, Saitama Prefecture. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi) 
Automobiles

Honda, Nissan cut production for February on supply chain woes

Malaysian flooding and omicron outbreak constrain output

4 February 2022
The Japanese government is concerned that Japanese companies' industrial secrets may be vulnerable unless Asia develops its own data infrastructure. (Source photo by Koji Uema) 
4 February 2022
Philippine consumers might wait up to 63 days if they ordered a space gray, 256 GB iPad on Jan. 28. In Malaysia, the lag is about 54 days. (Source photos by Getty Images)
Supply Chain

iPad deliveries remain squeezed as Apple prioritizes iPhones

Buyers endure nine-week waits as even procurement champ suffers constraints

2 February 2022