TOKYO

A semiconductor plant under construction on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido will be operational in April 2025, chip-maker Rapidus announced on Tuesday.

The plant is being built by the Japanese company amid a shortage in semiconductors have prompted greater investment in chips by companies in sectors from the auto industry to smartphones and gaming consoles.

Ken Saito, Japan's minister of economy, trade, and industry, visited the semiconductor production plant, where Rapidus CEO Atsuyoshi Koike told him that 30% of the test production lines have been completed so far.

Saito said the ministry would do everything in its power to ensure Rapidus' success in this fiscal year.

The company plans to produce two-nanometer chips at the Hokkaido plant, earmarking a budget of 5 trillion Japanese yen ($32 billion), including for research and development.

The Rapidus consortium, founded in August 2022, recieves funding from the Japanese government and comprises of eight Japanese manufacturers, including Toyota and Sony.

*Writing by Emir Yildirim