Japan
2 items across 2 editions. First seen Mon 9 Nov, last seen Wed 11 Nov.
- Electronics Weekly, citing Bloomberg, reports Rapidus "has failed to make a functioning 2nm SRAM", putting in doubt its targets of starting 2nm mass production in the second half of 2027 and an IPO in 2032. TokenPost, citing the same reporting, says the SRAM milestone "was planned for this summer and is now at least several months late" and that mass production may not arrive before March 2028.
- The funding gap is the part that bites: Electronics Weekly says Rapidus "has received about $13 billion from the government and $1 billion from 32 private investors. It will need about another $20 billion to reach mass production."
- Japan's state-backed bid for leading-edge logic is the main non-Taiwanese, non-Korean option on the board for AI accelerator capacity; Electronics Weekly notes TSMC, Samsung and Intel began 2nm mass production about a year earlier.
- Rapidus disputes the implication: Electronics Weekly says the company "is still saying it is on track to meet its H2 2027 mass product target". Both write-ups derive from a single Bloomberg report based on unnamed sources, and this edition could not open the Bloomberg original, so the figures above are as the two secondary outlets quote it.
- SecurityWeek reports that Japan announced on Friday an emergency cybersecurity package "that includes the use of artificial intelligence and cyber rescue teams after a wave of massive data breaches hit major companies and government agencies". The measures in "the 10 billion yen ($63 million) package are designed to build a resilient society in which the public and private sectors share information, provide swift assistance to the affected and recover from damage".
- Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told a ministerial meeting on Friday that a rapid response is essential "in the era of AI-generated attacks", and is quoted: "At this very moment, cases of unauthorized access and data breaches are occurring, causing a major impact on daily lives of the people and corporate activities… Let us increase the response capability across Japan by devoting all government resources."
- Under the package, a "top gun" team of cybersecurity experts is to be set up by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry by the end of November, using AI to counter hackers and detect weaknesses in network systems, and cooperating with technology companies and "advanced AI developers of friendly nations".
- Only one outlet carried this in the window, and SecurityWeek does not name the specific breaches that prompted the package or break the 10 billion yen down by measure.