TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — TSMC evacuated employees from its Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing fab in Kumamoto on Tuesday after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the region.
TSMC said the earthquake, which occurred at about 4 p.m. local time, met the company's evacuation criteria, prompting emergency procedures that prioritized employee safety. Evacuations were carried out, and personnel headcounts were completed in accordance with company protocols, per UDN.
It was the first major earthquake experienced by JASM since the majority TSMC-owned subsidiary began operations in 2024.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the epicenter was in Kumamoto Prefecture, where TSMC operates JASM Plant 1 and is constructing Plant 2. Both facilities are located in Kikuyo, about 15 kilometers northeast of Kumamoto City, within the earthquake warning area.
JASM Plant 1 is currently in mass production, manufacturing chips using 12- to 28-nanometer process technologies for automotive, consumer electronics, and industrial customers. Plant 2, being built on an adjacent site, is expected to produce more advanced chips in the future, per UDN.
Major earthquakes typically trigger production line shutdowns, evacuations, and safety checks of pipelines and other infrastructure at semiconductor fabs. Even if buildings remain undamaged, production can be temporarily affected while precision equipment is recalibrated and wafers already in production are inspected.
Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs said preliminary assessments found no immediate impact on the operations of other Taiwanese companies in Kumamoto, including Advantech and Delta Electronics, according to China Times.
The ministry noted that since JASM Plant 1 began operations two years ago, it has attracted about 170 supply chain companies to the region, including many Taiwanese businesses in Kumamoto. The ministry said it will continue monitoring the situation, providing support to Taiwanese companies if needed.
