U.S.-Japan Itinerary for Semiconductor Development Joint Statement by Nishimura and Lemond

On April 26 (local time), visiting U.S. Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura met with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Lemon Do in Detroit and agreed to work together to establish an itinerary for the development of next-generation semiconductors. The two ministers will promote cooperation between Japanese and U.S. research institutes amid growing concerns about the semiconductor supply chain due to heightened geopolitical risks.

In a joint statement issued after the meeting, Nishimura and Lemmond stressed that they "reaffirmed that deepening Japan-U.S. cooperation is essential for strengthening economic security and maintaining economic order in the region. They stated that they would "continue to work together to identify and resolve geographic concentrations of production that undermine the resilience of the semiconductor supply chain."

They will encourage cooperation between the Leading-edge Semiconductor Technology Center (LSTC), a technology research association established by Japan last year to mass produce next-generation semiconductors, and the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC), which the U.S. plans to establish, and will collaborate on technology development and human resource development.

They also expressed their intention to hold the second Japan-U.S. Economic Policy Consultative Committee (economic version of "2+2") ministerial meeting at the earliest appropriate time.