TSMC's Kyushu investment deepens Taiwan-Japan supply chain cooperation

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim received a delegation led by Oita Prefecture Governor Kiichiro Sato at the Presidential Office today, where the two sides exchanged in-depth views on bilateral economic and trade relations, local exchanges, and cooperation in industrial supply chains. During the meeting, Vice President Hsiao specifically noted that Taiwan's semiconductor leader, TSMC, has recently undertaken large-scale investments in Japan's Kyushu region. This move goes beyond a corporate-level overseas deployment, substantially deepening the close integration of Taiwan and Japan within the semiconductor and high-tech industrial chains. With this "sacred mountain that protects the country" establishing roots in Kyushu, the already profound friendly ties between Taiwan and Oita Prefecture, as well as the entire Kyushu region, are once again embracing a brand-new historical development opportunity, serving as an important cornerstone for their continued prosperity and economic growth.

Reflecting on the history of interaction between Taiwan and Japan's Kyushu region, exchanges in traditional areas such as tourism, culture, and agriculture have always been very vibrant, with Oita Prefecture serving as one of the popular destinations for Taiwanese travelers visiting Japan. However, amid recent shifts in the geopolitical landscape and the pressures of global supply chain restructuring, the cooperative relationship between Taiwan and Japan has rapidly elevated from past people-to-people tourism and general trade to a strategic level of industrial linkage. TSMC's decision to set up a plant in Kumamoto and continue expanding its investment has directly driven a ripple effect among related semiconductor equipment and material suppliers as well as infrastructure, rapidly transforming Kyushu into a core base for Japan to revitalize its semiconductor prowess and propelling Taiwan-Japan economic and trade relations into an unprecedented period of closeness.

On the practical level of industrial supply chain cooperation, the operation of the semiconductor industry is highly reliant on precise division of labor and comprehensive cluster effects. TSMC's investment in Japan not only requires overcoming challenges in language, culture, and regulations, but also relies heavily on the strong support of local and central governments. Governor Kiichiro Sato's delegation visit aims precisely to attract the attention of Taiwan's high-tech industry and deepen substantive cooperation between Oita Prefecture and Taiwan in fields such as electronic components, green energy, and talent cultivation. Vice President Hsiao expressed a warm welcome and high expectations for this, believing that direct interactions and reciprocal visits between local governments can lay the most solid social foundation for central-level diplomatic and economic relations, allowing Taiwan-Japan friendship to take deep root.

Beyond concrete economic and industrial benefits, the spillover effects generated by TSMC's investment in Kyushu have further consolidated the strategic partnership between Taiwan and Japan regarding democratic values and economic security in the Indo-Pacific region. At a time when the world faces tests of supply chain resilience, Taiwan and Japan are both key members of the democratic camp, and their complementarity in critical industries is irreplaceable. TSMC's establishment of plants in Japan is not merely a commercial investment, but is widely regarded as a concrete symbol of the warming substantive alliance between Taiwan and Japan. Through the deep integration of industrial chains, the two sides are jointly building a safe, reliable, and highly resilient democratic supply chain, which holds indescribable and significant strategic importance for maintaining regional peace, stability, and economic prosperity.

Looking to the future, Vice President Hsiao also expressed the Taiwanese government's eager anticipation for expanding exchanges across all fields during the talks. She hopes that, building on the existing solid foundation, Taiwan and Japan can continue to cultivate semiconductor and high-tech industries while also fostering more diverse cooperation in local autonomy, culture and education, youth exchanges, and global issues such as climate change. With the restoration and increase of direct flight routes, as well as the maturing exchange mechanisms across government, industrial, academic, and research sectors, interactions between Taiwan and Oita Prefecture, and even the entire Kyushu region, will become even more frequent. This comprehensive, multi-layered partnership not only brings tangible economic dividends to the people of both regions but also sets an exemplary model of cross-border mutual benefit and shared prosperity for the international community.

(Source: Central News Agency)