TOKYO (Reuters) – The European Union will deepen cooperation with Japan on semiconductors, its industry chief said on Monday, as countries seek to tighten control of a vital technology for the defense, electronics and automotive industries.
“We think it’s extremely important to secure the semiconductor supply chain,” Thierry Breton told Reuters in Tokyo, where he is discussing cooperation on chips and artificial intelligence with government and industry. businesses.
The EU and Japan will work together to monitor the chip supply chain and facilitate exchanges of researchers and engineers, Breton said. The EU will also support Japanese semiconductor companies considering operating there, including by giving them access to grants.
(Reporting by Sam Nussey; Editing by Chang-Ran Kim)