On November 29, 2024, DENSO Corporation and Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. announced a joint investment of approximately ¥211.6 billion (around $1.4 billion) to enhance Japan's silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductor production capacity. This initiative has received approval from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), which will provide up to ¥70.5 billion in subsidies to support the project.
Under this collaboration, DENSO will expand its Daian Plant to manufacture SiC wafers and its Kota Plant to produce SiC epitaxial wafers. Concurrently, Fuji Electric plans to augment its Matsumoto Factory's capacity for producing both SiC epitaxial wafers and SiC power semiconductors.
The partnership aims to secure an annual production capacity of 310,000 wafers, with shipments expected to commence in May 2027.
This strategic move is designed to strengthen Japan's domestic supply chain for high-efficiency SiC power semiconductors, which are essential for electric vehicles and various industrial applications.
