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Hitachi High-Tech to establish new Hokkaido facility to support Rapidus semiconductor production
Friday, March 6, 2026 at 08:19 AM
Hitachi High-Tech, the global market leader in CD-SEM semiconductor metrology equipment, is establishing a new technical support and service facility in Chitose, Hokkaido. This move is specifically designed to support the mass production efforts of Rapidus as it develops advanced logic chips.
Context
Measurement and inspection giant Hitachi High-Tech is establishing a new facility in Hokkaido, Japan, to provide direct on-site support for Rapidus, the government-backed venture aiming to mass-produce 2nm logic chips. Hitachi High-Tech holds the top global market share in CD-SEM (Critical Dimension Scanning Electron Microscope) technology, a vital metrology tool used to measure nanoscale circuit patterns during the fabrication process.
The new base in Chitose aligns with a growing cluster of suppliers surrounding the Rapidus "IIM-1" factory, which is currently under construction and targeting pilot line operations by 2025. This strategic move follows similar expansions by other key players like ASML, as the industry rushes to support Japan's multi-billion dollar bid to re-establish a leading position in the advanced semiconductor supply chain.
By positioning engineering resources locally, Hitachi High-Tech aims to accelerate yield improvement and process control for next-generation nodes. The investment highlights the critical role of process control equipment, a market segment where Japanese and U.S. firms maintain a dominant 70-80% share, in de-risking the aggressive production timelines set by Rapidus for 2027.
Sources (8)
60 Years of History Hokkaido Branch Office | 60th Anniversary Site : Hitachi High-Tech Fielding Corporation : Hitachi High-Tech CorporationFOCUS: New Japanese chipmaker Rapidus joins development, investment raceBusiness Report (from April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025)Rapidus - Wikipedia[PDF] India Data Collection Survey on the Indo-Japan Semiconductor Supply ...Hitachi S 9380 II CD-SEM (Critical Dimension Scanning ...Semiconductor Process Control Equipment Market Size, Share | Global Forecast [2035]Taiwan at the Core:
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