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Latest / Chips, compute and energy

ProgrammeComputeGovernmentJapanReported

Rapidus starts its 2nm pilot line in Hokkaido after ¥802.5bn more in state aid

See how this story connects

Source: Nippon.com (Jiji Press)Also reported by Nippon.com (Jiji Press): additional aid, DigiTimes

Rapidus began running the pilot production line at its IIM-1 plant in Chitose, Hokkaido, on 1 April 2025, aiming at 2-nanometre chips for AI and autonomous driving and mass production in 2027. A day earlier the industry ministry approved up to ¥802.5 billion in subsidies for fiscal 2025, bringing government support since fiscal 2022 to ¥1,722.5 billion.

Why it matters

Japan’s state-funded attempt at a domestic leading-edge foundry reached working equipment. AI chip designers could have a supplier outside Taiwan and Korea from 2027.

When
1 Apr 2025
ID
WTA-N-2025-0153
Where
Japan
Who
Rapidus, METI; Atsuyoshi Koike

Summary by wheresthe.ai, from Nippon.com (Jiji Press) and the reporting credited above. We could not open the primary document, so it is marked Reported. Checked against the source on 9 Oct 2026.

Read the original at Nippon.com (Jiji Press)

Source copy: download the page text as saved on 18 Oct 2026 (PDF). Also held by the Internet Archive.

Next stop on this Storyline: Led toRapidus shows working 2nm GAA transistors from its Hokkaido pilot fab

Data to measure this

Compare the years before 2025 with the years since in these series.

  • OECD.AI: venture capital investments in AI start-upsOECD.AI (data from Preqin)Venture capital invested in AI start-ups by country and industry, with series for generative AI and AI compute start-ups.live · query tool
  • BACI product-level trade databaseCEPIIHarmonised annual bilateral trade for about 5,000 HS6 products among about 200 countries, including chips.Years: 1995-present · annual · download · CSV · Covers before and after
  • Crunchbase company and funding dataCrunchbase · paidPrivate company profiles, funding rounds and acquisitions.live · api · API
  • Dealroom AI sector dataDealroom.co · paidAI start-ups, unicorns and venture funding by country, city, stage and sub-sector.live · query tool
  • UN ComtradeUnited Nations Statistics Division · paidBilateral goods trade by reporter, partner and product code, for example HS 8542 integrated circuits.monthly · api · CSV, JSON, API

All data for Japan

Cite this story

WTA-N-2025-0153: “Rapidus starts its 2nm pilot line in Hokkaido after ¥802.5bn more in state aid.” wheresthe.ai, 1 Apr 2025. https://wheresthe.ai/d/jp-rapidus-hokkaido-pilot-line-2025-04/ (source: Nippon.com (Jiji Press)).

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