Shin-Etsu Chemical plans to build a new rare earth production facility in Fukui Prefecture, aiming to expand domestic smelting capacity and reduce Japan's reliance on China for materials critical to electric vehicle and semiconductor manufacturing equipment, according to Nikkei and Kyodo News.
South Korea has launched a two-year, KRW34 billion (US$22.22 million) project to develop domestic world model and robot foundation model technologies, aimed at reducing reliance on foreign simulation platforms for physical AI systems used in real-world environments.
Silicon Labs is deepening its presence in India through expanded research operations and a greater commercial focus on smart infrastructure applications, even as the US-based wireless chipmaker prepares for an acquisition by Texas Instruments.
Asus has announced plans to begin making gaming laptops in India this financial year — a move that could reshape supply chains, pricing, and availability in one of the world's fastest-growing PC markets. The shift underscores a broader trend of global technology brands localizing manufacturing to deepen market reach and reduce import dependence, according to the Hindu Business Line.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim concluded a three-day visit to Japan, during which he met with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The two leaders pledged to strengthen cooperation in critical minerals.
SK Hynix is preparing to begin mass production of its next-generation 375-layer 3D NAND flash memory by year-end, while pushing ahead with a broader capacity buildout and moving toward a US listing as early as August.
Qualcomm recently held its 2026 Automotive Technology and Cooperation Summit in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, marking the fourth consecutive year it has hosted a China-focused automotive industry event. At the main forum, Frank Meng, chairman of Qualcomm China, said: "2026 is the year of the agent."
ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), China's largest DRAM maker, plans to raise approximately CNY29.5 billion (US$4.35 billion) through an IPO on Shanghai's STAR Market, fueling debate about whether China's push into memory semiconductors can eventually erode the dominance of the industry's established players.
