Merck has announced plans to invest over EUR70 million(US$72.53 million) to construct a new advanced materials development center (AMDC) at its Shizuoka site in Japan. This latest investment brings Merck's total investment in the Shizuoka site to over JPY120 million since 2021

Kioxia, which recently listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), has announced plans to double its market share in AI-focused NAND products. President Nobuo Hayasaka highlighted the surging demand for AI-driven applications as a primary growth driver. He also called on major shareholders Bain Capital and Toshiba to reduce their stakes within three years to bolster Kioxia's operational independence

Leading Chinese solar manufacturers, including Longi Green Energy Technology, Trina Solar, and JA Solar, have been forced to delay their production capacity expansions as they grapple with severe market oversupply

China's battery materials sector is thriving, backed by government subsidies, low electricity costs, and cheaper labor, enabling aggressive investment. In contrast, South Korean firms, lacking comparable support, are struggling with mounting losses and potential market exits, threatening the stability of South Korea's EV supply chain

Chinese automakers, including NIO, XPeng Motors, BYD, and Taiwan's Foxconn, are reportedly exploring partnerships with cash-strapped Nissan, leveraging its global distribution networks to enter the US market, according to Japanese supplier Ibiden via Chinese media

Taiwan-based energy solution provider ATE Energy has achieved significant progress in the Philippines market with an order backlog of about NT$11 billion (approx. US$335.83 million) and expects overseas revenues to account for 70% of the overall total in 2025, according to the company

Nissan and Honda, two of Japan's automotive giants, are set to hold merger talks on December 23, 2024. Renault, Nissan's largest shareholder and a French automotive leader, is reportedly open to the proposed merger, signaling a pivotal moment for the Japanese automakers

Rapidus, a Japanese company targeting the mass production of 2nm chips, has announced the delivery of Japan's first extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machine, the NXE:3800E, which will be installed at its Innovative Integration for Manufacturing (IIM-1) foundry under construction in Hokkaido. The company plans to introduce multiple units in the future

Germany and Japan have built powerful automotive manufacturing industries over decades, establishing global dominance with brands like Toyota, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Nissan, and Honda. However, the rapid rise of China's electric vehicle (EV) industry is now transforming an automotive sector that has remained stable for decades

The landscape of Japan's automotive industry faces potential reshaping as Honda and Nissan explore integration possibilities, complicated by Foxconn's reported interest in acquiring Nissan shares. This development could significantly impact both automakers' strategies in addressing the competitive electric vehicle (EV) market landscape

Chinese carmakers are rumored to be targeting financially troubled Nissan as a means of indirect entry into the US market. Rumors have also pointed to Foxconn as a possible suitor for an acquisition or potential joint control with a Chinese company

The Chinese government's subsidy program for energy-efficient appliances, combined with anticipated US tariff hikes, has triggered a sudden surge in TV demand in China and the US. This spike, supported by robust sales during key shopping events like Single's Day and Black Friday, has driven up production capacity utilization rates at TV panel manufacturers

Rapidus shared progress on its 2-nanometer (nm) chip production preparations at SEMICON Japan 2024, highlighting its innovative AI-enabled overhead transport system. The company remains on schedule for trial production in April 2025, while IBM emphasized the chips' significant power efficiency advantages

Japan-based Denso announced a strategic collaboration with Onsemi, aimed at advancing semiconductor technology vital for autonomous driving and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). As part of the partnership, Denso plans to acquire a stake in Onsemi, but the exact financial details are undisclosed

The US government has launched a national- security investigation into TP-Link, the China-founded router maker whose equipment now dominates the American market and has been targeted in repeated Chinese cyber attacks, people familiar with the matter said