Japan's Rapidus and universities aim for 'beyond 2nm' chip tech

TOKYO -- Japan's chip startup Rapidus and a consortium of research institutes plan to start a project to develop chips more advanced than the current cutting-edge 2-nanometer technology, with 45 billion yen ($301 million) in backing from the government as it aims to revive the country's semiconductor industry.

"What's important is that the most advanced technology is in Japan," Rapidus Chairman Tetsuro Higashi said at a press conference in Tokyo on Friday. The government-backed startup aims to produce 2nm chips in Hokkaido as early as 2027. Higashi is also board chairman of the Leading-edge Semiconductor Technology Center (LSTC), a research consortium that includes Rapidus, national institutes and universities.