Japan: Semi-conducor-related facilities in Japan suffer damage from 7.6 magnitude earthquake

Findings by analyst house TrendForece found that several semiconductor-related facilities in Japan have been affected by the 7.6 magnitude earthquake that hit the Ishikawa region on the first day of the year. Multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) manufacturer Taiyo Yuden; silicon wafer producers Shin-Etsu and GlobalWafers; and fab makers Toshiba and Tower Partners Semiconductor Company (TPSCo) are some of the affected companies. 

The findings from TrendForce found that most of the affected facilities were situated in areas which are prone to level 4 and 5 seismic activity, many of the factories had been built with enough structural integrity to withstand such natural disasters.

Following this disaster, Shin-Etsu and GlobalWafers have reportedly shut down their facilities for a precautionary inspection, as the crystal growth technique used at their factories are particularly sensitive to seismic movements. TPSCo is also said to have shut down its factories in Uozu, Tonami, and Arai to check for any potential damage, while Toshiba is also carrying out safety checks at its out Kaga facility.