Japan adds to chipmaking equipment export restrictions

News | March 31, 2023

By Peter Clarke

As expected, Japan has followed the Netherlands in enacting a US call for export controls on equipment capable of making sub-14nm integrated circuits, in a move that will limit China’s ability to make advanced chips.

Japan’s Ministry for Economy, Trade and Industry has said it will restrict the export of 23 types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, including cleaning, deposition, lithography and etching.

“We are fulfilling our responsibility as a technological nation to contribute to international peace and stability,” Reuters quoted Yasutoshi Nishimura, Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry, telling a news conference. He also said the restrictions did target any country in particular and that exporters would need export permission for export to all regions.

Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry commented: “Politicising, instrumentalising and weaponising economic and technological issues, and artificially disrupting the stability of global production and supply chains will only harm others and harm themselves.”

Japan’s announcement follows on from a similar one made by the Netherlands in March (see Netherlands adds DUV lithography equipment to export controls). ASML Holding agreed to extend export controls beyond the extreme ultraviolet lithography equipment used to make chips at 7nm and below. Japanese manufacturers that may lose out on sales to China include: Tokyo Electron Ltd., Nikon and Advantest. Meanwhile ASML Holding

The announcement was expected as Japan and the Netherlands had said in January that they would help the US in its aims to impose export restrictions (see Japan, Netherlands agree to help US limit exports to China). This was after the US had announced its own ramping of export controls in October (see Advanced logic, memory, YMTC come under China export controls).