Mitsubishi Electric President and CEO, Kei Uruma, revealed in a Tokyo interview that the company is pursuing a restructuring initiative within Japan's power semiconductor sector, including with former competitors. The goal is to strengthen its position in this critical market segment.
Reports from Kyodo News+, Nikkei, and Sankei highlight that alongside Mitsubishi Electric, Toshiba and Rohm are also active in the power semiconductor market. However, these companies lag behind their European and US counterparts in market share and scale.
Early restructuring to boost Japan's power semiconductor competitiveness
Uruma believes restructuring among Japanese companies will boost their competitiveness in the power semiconductor market. He emphasized the importance of early action, explaining that power semiconductors are categorized into "module-type" (integrating multiple components) and "discrete-type" (handling individual functions).
Mitsubishi Electric holds a leading position in module-type products and views restructuring as essential to closing market gaps.
Uruma warned that Japan's fragmented approach could hinder global influence. He aims to initiate discussions with key companies to explore collaboration, urging Japanese firms to set aside individual interests and work toward a unified goal.
Infineon leads, Japan eyes semiconductor alliance
According to Omdia, the top three global power semiconductor companies are based in Europe and the US, with Infineon leading at 23% market share. Infineon has invested about EUR2 billion (approx. US$2.1 billion) to build a new factory in Malaysia and is scaling up its investment.
Source: Omdia, compiled by DIGITIMES, November 2024
Mitsubishi Electric, Toshiba, Rohm, and Fuji Electric together hold 17% of the market share, still trailing Infineon. Uruma noted that a single company is at a disadvantage in investment scale but believes collaboration among Japanese firms could help them catch up.
Toshiba and Rohm will jointly produce power semiconductors starting December 2023, with backing from Japan's METI. Toshiba will focus on silicon-based semiconductors, while Rohm will handle SiC production, leveraging their respective strengths.
Mitsubishi Electric plans to invest JPY260 billion (approx. US$1.7 billion) in power semiconductors by March 2026. It expects to open a new factory in Kikuchi, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, by November 2025—five months ahead of schedule—featuring a production line for high-performance SiC semiconductors using 8-inch wafers.
Despite the slowdown in global EV sales, Uruma noted that the transition to EVs is progressing steadily. As a result, plans for the new power semiconductor factory will proceed as scheduled.
Article translated by Levi Li
