On July 28th, a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 7 struck Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan, a major production hub for semiconductor components, silicon wafers, and backend processes. In the aftermath of the earthquake, several semiconductor giants in the prefecture, including Renesas Electronics, Sony, and TSMC’s Kumamoto plant, have suspended operations or initiated precautionary safety checks. The industry is concerned that prolonged factory shutdowns could impact downstream supply chains for industries such as automotive, smartphones, and AI-related technologies.
Renesas’ Kawashiri Plant and Kin Factory, located near the epicenter of the earthquake, have ceased operations since the earthquake hit. All employees at the facilities have been safely evacuated with no reported casualties. Damage assessments have revealed partial ceiling collapses and wall cracks at the Kin Factory, while the Kawashiri Plant has experienced wall cracks and localized water leakage, leading to a temporary halt in ultrapure water supply. Fortunately, the air conditioning and power supply systems at both plants remain intact, allowing the cleanroom environments to be maintained.
Renesas is currently conducting detailed investigations into the extent of damage to production equipment and products, as well as the overall impact on the supply chain.
On the other hand, Sony’s semiconductor manufacturing company in Kumamoto, responsible for producing CMOS image sensors, has also halted operations and is actively assessing the damage to its facilities and production equipment. The plant, which suffered significant damage during the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, had a major impact on global product manufacturing and shipments at that time.
TSMC’s subsidiary, JASM, located in Kumamoto’s Kikuyo Town, evacuated its employees immediately after the earthquake and has confirmed their safety. By the evening of the 28th, with the structural safety of the facilities confirmed, employees have started returning to their workstations to conduct detailed inspections on the impact of the earthquake on the production lines. Despite the lack of damage at the nearby first factory and the under-construction second factory, TSMC has temporarily halted some construction activities due to the risk of aftershocks.
Mitsubishi Electric’s semiconductor plant in Kumamoto is still conducting a comprehensive assessment of the conditions of its facilities and equipment as of the morning of the 29th.
Furthermore, Tokyo Electron, a major semiconductor equipment manufacturer, has research and manufacturing bases in Goshi City and Otsu Town for coating and imaging, wafer cleaning, and 3D packaging equipment. The company announced on the evening of the 28th that there was no significant damage to its facilities, but as a safety precaution, operations have been temporarily suspended on the 29th to conduct thorough inspections across the board.