The Ministry of Economy will allocate an additional 150 billion yen to the 2027 budget to bolster the national chipmaker’s equity capital and facilitate bank loans.
Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) will request 150 billion yen — about $944 million — for the 2027 fiscal year for Rapidus. The stated objective is not only to feed the foundry's cash flow: by strengthening its equity, the state hopes to overcome the reluctance of the big banks and bring in private credit.
Created in 2022, Rapidus aims to mass-produce 2-nanometer chips by fiscal year 2027. The gamble remains risky: the company is starting from a very long way to go compared to TSMC, which dominates the advanced node, and the Japanese government has already committed considerable sums to this catch-up.
The justification given is openly based on sovereignty: Tokyo considers that technological independence in AI, robotics and quantum computing depends on the ability to manufacture its own advanced semiconductors, rather than depending on a single supplier based in Taiwan.
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