Japan’s Akazawa Eyes US Chip, Pharma Tie-Ups to Bolster Supply Chains

Japan’s new economic revitalisation minister, Takayuki Akazawa, said Tokyo and Washington are discussing deeper cooperation on critical supply chains, particularly semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, to strengthen both countries’ economic security. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Akazawa said the two governments aim to establish manufacturing capacity in the United States that also benefits Japanese industry, adding that chips and pharma are ‘indispensable’ to national resilience. Akazawa added that he intends to raise Japan’s inward direct investment, though he cautioned that it remains difficult to predict the precise content and timeline of individual projects. A U.S. factsheet circulated at the talks highlighted what Washington views as gains from recent bilateral trade agreements, according to the minister.