The United States has asked the Japanese government for cooperation to thwart China’s efforts to develop highly efficient semiconductors, sources familiar with the matter said on Saturday.

semiconductorPhoto: Massimo Brega, The Lighthouse / Sciencephoto / Profimedia Images

The sources also said the request, which underscores that the US and Japan are allies in strategies against China, was made by Gina Raimondo, US Commerce Secretary, in a telephone conversation with Japanese Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura on Friday.

In October, the US initiated expanded controls on the export of certain high-performance chips that Beijing could use to develop artificial intelligence systems, as well as in advanced military and intelligence applications.

The request to Nishimura is believed to be the ministry’s first in this regard. Washington’s intention is to create a multilateral regulatory framework, raising concerns that there could be gaps in its own export controls if Japan and the Netherlands continue to supply China with the equipment it needs to make advanced microchips.

Tokyo Electron and the Dutch firm ASML Holding NV occupy the leading positions in the world market of semiconductor equipment, in addition to the USA.

The German government also recently approved a request by Robert Hallbeck, the economy minister and vice chancellor, to ban the sale of two electronic component factories to China, La Tribune reported.

But the introduction of such restrictions by Japan may inevitably provoke a negative reaction from Beijing, which will make it difficult to achieve concrete political cooperation.

As the high-tech competition between the US and China escalates, Japan finds itself caught between its ally and its biggest trading partner.

Lagging behind Taiwan and South Korea in the global semiconductor industry, Japan has made significant progress in recent years and established a cooperative relationship with the US.

The two countries agreed this year to boost supply chains in strategic sectors such as semiconductors, batteries and rare minerals.

Source: The Japan Times

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