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Japan is rushing to rebuild its once world-leading semiconductor
infrastructure and catch up on the development of AI technology.
The graphics processing units (GPUs) made by U.S.-based Nvidia
dominate the market for AI.
"Demand is very high, but I promised the prime minister we will
do our very, very best to prioritize Japan's requirements for
GPUs," Huang told reporters at Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's
official residence in Tokyo.
Huang's visit came less than two weeks after Japan passed an
extra budget that included about 2 trillion yen ($13.60 billion)
earmarked for chip investment.
Some of the funds are expected to be used to support Taiwanese
chipmaker TSMC and chip foundry venture Rapidus, which aims to
manufacture cutting-edge chips in Japan's northern island of
Hokkaido.
"The semiconductor industry that Japan is now starting to grow
and foster will be able to produce GPUs," Huang said.
"Countries like Japan are realizing that you need to own your
own data, build your own AI factories and produce your own AI
intelligence," he added.
($1 = 147.0500 yen)
(Reporting by Yoshifumi Takemoto and Rocky Swift; Editing by
Chang-Ran Kim and Jamie Freed)
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