Taipei: The United States cannot achieve a totally independent semiconductor supply chain as it needs partners, including Taiwan, to provide key components and engineering talent, Japan's former "chip czar" Akira Amari said in Taipei on Monday. In his address at the Yushan Forum, Amari stated that U.S. President Donald Trump is aiming to achieve full self-sufficiency for America in the semiconductor industry.
According to Focus Taiwan, Amari highlighted that toward that end, Trump recently persuaded Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the world's top contract chipmaker, to pledge an additional US$100 billion over the next few years to expand its semiconductor manufacturing operations in the U.S. However, Amari emphasized that U.S. self-sufficiency is still "impossible." He suggested that allied and like-minded countries should concentrate on their strengths to build a complete supply chain rather than putting everything in America.
Amari pointed out that Japan, Taiwan, the Netherlands, Belgium, and even South Korea are strong in manufacturing, while ASEAN countries are known for producing high-quality semiconductor components. He stressed the need to combine the strengths of countries around the world to achieve a robust supply chain.
He further argued that the success of TSMC heavily relies on its talented engineers at all levels of the organization. The high yield rate at TSMC's first fab in Arizona was attributed to the fact that most of the 1,300 workers were Taiwanese. Amari believed that this talent is critical to a strong chip industry.
Amari also expressed concerns that the U.S. would eventually require TSMC to use American workers, which he viewed as problematic due to American workers being extremely protective of their labor rights and taking little initiative to improve their job performance. He added that to prevent the leak of confidential information, allied countries should collaborate rather than operate independently.
As the leader of Japan's parliamentary caucus for the strategic promotion of the semiconductor industry until late 2024, Amari played a significant role in Japan's decision to invite TSMC to open a wafer fab in Kumamoto, Japan's most advanced microchip facility.
The 2025 Yushan Forum, held under the theme of "New Southbound Policy+: Taiwan, the Indo-Pacific, and a New World," aims to include more like-minded partners in discussions on how Taiwan is leveraging smart, digital, and innovative solutions to promote the "Digital New Southbound Policy."
