TSMC considering 2nd chip plant in Japan’s Kumamoto: report

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world’s largest contract chipmaker, is considering building a second plant in southwestern Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture in addition to the one currently under construction there, the island’s Central News Agency said Tuesday.

The agency quoted TSMC Chairman Mark Liu as telling reporters after its annual general shareholders’ meeting that the location for the proposed plant is also in the prefecture and that the company will focus on mature manufacturing process technologies rather than advanced ones.

TSMC is constructing an $8.6 billion wafer plant in...