The Current State of Japan’s Semiconductor Companies

Sony maintains a top-tier global share in image sensors while expanding its business mix, particularly in smartphones. Under its long-term plan, the company targets an approximately 50% share in CMOS image sensors, with 2025 sales exceeding ¥2 trillion, up 20% year on year, and operating profit growing 37%. In addition to strengthening its smartphone business, Sony is expected to expand into areas including automotive, robotics and physical AI.

The Kumamoto joint venture was agreed on the premise that Sony would contribute approximately ¥465 billion, TSMC approximately ¥282 billion, and the Japanese government up to ¥60 billion in subsidies. The new plant will be built in Koshi, Kumamoto Prefecture, with mass production of next-generation image sensors targeted for 2029. Monthly production capacity is expected to be approximately 10,000 12-inch wafers.

KIOXIA has continued to grow since spinning off Toshiba’s semiconductor memory business. FY2025 sales rose 37% year on year to ¥2.3376 trillion, while operating profit reached ¥876.2 billion, a record high. Against a backdrop of growing demand in the AI market, the company is expanding production of three-dimensional BiCS FLASH and advancing its three-dimensional architecture technology.

Renesas sought growth by integrating NEC’s semiconductor business after the integration of the semiconductor businesses spun off from Hitachi and Mitsubishi Electric, but subsequently underwent a restructuring partly due to the Great East Japan Earthquake before pursuing major acquisitions. Through the acquisitions of Intersil, IDT, Dialog Semiconductor and Altium, it has strengthened solutions for the automotive, industrial and IoT markets. In 2025, sales were ¥1.3185 trillion and operating profit was ¥386.9 billion.