At the first ministerial meeting of the Japan-U.S. Commercial and Industrial Partnership, METI Minister Koichi Hagiuda and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo adopted basic principles on semiconductor cooperation. They covered diversifying production capacity, more supply-chain transparency, coordinated responses to chip shortages, and joint R&D and workforce work. The two sides also set an export-control work plan and promoted Japanese investment in U.S. hydrogen and digital sectors. What followed At their 'economic 2+2' talks in July 2022, the two governments agreed to set up joint research on next-generation chips. Japan launched Rapidus in August 2022 to make advanced chips at home, and in December 2022 Rapidus agreed with IBM to develop 2-nanometer chip technology.
