A report by Toss Securities analyzing the competitiveness and role of Japan's semiconductor materials, components, and equipment (materials, components, and equipment) industry reveals that Japan is a core country supporting the global artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductor industry. In major semiconductor materials markets, Japan holds approximately 50% market share; its equipment market share is also around 30%, ranking second globally. The technological strength and customer trust accumulated by Japanese materials and equipment companies are their advantages. Semiconductor manufacturers are not easily able to switch proven material and equipment suppliers, creating high barriers to entry. The report also states that the South Korean and Japanese semiconductor industries have a "partially cooperative, partially competitive" relationship. As South Korean memory companies increase their production of high-bandwidth memory (HBM), the demand for Japanese equipment and materials companies will also grow, but the two countries' material, component, and equipment companies are competing for market dominance. Lee Young-kun, Director of the Toss Securities Research Center, stated, "Although Japan has relinquished its dominant position in semiconductor manufacturing competition, it still possesses irreplaceable competitiveness in the materials and equipment sector. Through this visit, we directly confirmed the technological strength and role of Japanese materials, component, and equipment companies supporting the growth of the AI industry."
