Japanese chip manufacturer Rapidus has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UK Semiconductor Centre (UKSC) to collaborate on future semiconductor manufacturing.
The agreement was reached amid ongoing efforts to enhance technology ties between Japan and the UK.
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The UKSC promotes the UK’s semiconductor ecosystem and seeks to facilitate growth strategies and international technical partnerships. It aims to support developments in advanced hardware and AI technologies.
The signing of the MoU follows Japan-UK technology talks earlier this year. On 14 June, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss advancing cooperation in the sector.
UKSC CEO Andy McLean said: “We’re delighted to enter into this agreement with Rapidus, which further strengthens the UK’s relationship with Japan. The UK government’s AI Hardware Plan recognised the importance of building trusted international manufacturing and technology partnerships that can help UK companies access the capabilities they need to innovate and grow.
“This agreement is an important step in delivering that ambition. It brings together complementary strengths from the UK and Japan and helps establish the international relationships that will be increasingly important to the future success of the UK semiconductor sector.”
Presently, Rapidus is carrying out pilot production in Japan with plans to begin mass production of 2nm logic semiconductors in 2027.
The company intends to begin exchanging information and hold discussions with the UKSC on ways to strengthen future cooperation as a result of the agreement.
Rapidus representative director and CEO Atsuyoshi Koike said: “Since our foundation, we prioritised global collaboration and building key alliances with countries to further their semiconductor programs.
“Our work with the UKSC is another important step to fulfilling our mission. We are honoured that the UK has put their trust in Japan and Rapidus and we look forward to working with them to establish their next era of semiconductor development.”
On the financial side, Rapidus recently closed a funding round of Y150bn ($936m), provided by the Information-Technology Promotion Agency (IPA), Japan.
Earlier in the year, Rapidus had received a Y100bn investment from the IPA, alongside private-sector funding totalling Y167.6bn from 32 companies including Canon, Development Bank of Japan, NTT, Fujitsu, SoftBank and Sony Group.
The latest capital increase by the IPA brings Rapidus’s total funding to Y424.95bn, while stated capital and legal capital surplus have reached Y274.95bn.
Rapidus has received subsidies since fiscal year 2022 from Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization for projects related to 2nm-generation semiconductor technology and Japan–US collaborative research and development.
The company plans to continue raising funds from both public and private sources to support its transition from research and development (R&D) to full-scale 2nm semiconductor manufacturing by 2027.
In December 2025, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry announced plans to raise support for the semiconductor and AI sectors to about Y1.23tn for the fiscal year starting in April 2026.
