Micron Announces $9.6B Japan Investment to Expand AI Memory Chip Production

Micron Technology (MU) is set to make one of its largest overseas manufacturing commitments, with plans to invest 1.5 trillion yen ($9.6 billion) to build a new semiconductor facility in western Japan, according to Nikkei Asia. The move underscores Micron’s strategy to expand advanced chip production for the booming AI computing market.

Diversifying Away From Taiwan

Micron’s new investment is aimed at reducing its dependence on Taiwan-based production.
The upcoming plant will focus on manufacturing next-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM)—a critical component powering AI servers, GPUs, and data-center accelerators.

Why this matters:

Strengthens global supply-chain resilience
Supports surging AI-chip demand
Positions Micron as a key supplier in high-performance memory

Construction Timeline & Production Goals

According to the report:

Construction start: May 2026
Initial shipments: Around 2028
Product focus: High-bandwidth memory (HBM) for AI processors

This aligns Micron with global chipmakers racing to meet unprecedented HBM demand driven by NVIDIA, AMD, cloud hyperscalers, and AI-centric infrastructure buildouts.

Japan’s Government Steps In

Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) will support the project with subsidies of up to 500 billion yen, highlighting the country’s goal of reestablishing itself as a pivotal semiconductor manufacturing hub.

Company Response

Micron has not yet responded to Seeking Alpha’s request for comment on the report.