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Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is currently under investigation by the Taiwanese prosecutors for allegedly stealing chip technology, which has attracted widespread attention. Six individuals have been arrested, including a former employee of Tokyo Electron, who is accused of stealing the company’s trade secrets.
Tokyo Electron is one of the largest suppliers of chip manufacturing tools globally. An employee related to this case at its Taipei branch has been dismissed, and the company is actively cooperating with the investigation. As a result of this incident, Tokyo Electron’s stock price fell by 2.5% on Thursday, reaching its lowest level since the end of April.
Japanese executives urgently visit TSMC to apologize
According to media reports, TSMC experienced a leak of its 2nm process technology, with the confidential information flowing to the important Japanese equipment manufacturer TEL. Following the incident, TEL urgently sent senior executives to TSMC to apologize.
Additionally, reports indicate that TSMC discovered the leak in June, and TEL executives visited TSMC in early July to apologize, specifically addressing TSMC’s Executive Vice President and Co-COO, Qin Yongpei.
However, TSMC ultimately decided to file a lawsuit, and the leak case has entered judicial proceedings, which may not be helpful for the Japanese executives’ visit to TSMC.
This incident involving the arrest of Tokyo Electron has raised questions about why its employees participated in such actions, whether there was a motive to steal TSMC’s trade secrets, and if it is related to Japan’s ambition to develop a domestic chip industry.
Jun Nagai, a professor at Waseda University, stated that Tokyo Electron becoming the focus of attention feels like an unfortunate accident. According to insiders, Tokyo Electron has instructed its employees not to discuss the case, and company managers have flown to Taiwan to handle the aftermath.
Tokyo Electron stated that no evidence has been found indicating that trade secrets were leaked to third parties, and the case is currently under judicial review. The Taiwanese prosecutors have also not disclosed further investigation details.
Tokyo Electron plays a crucial role in the global chip manufacturing supply chain, providing key equipment to companies like TSMC, Samsung Electronics, and Intel. Industry veterans believe that Tokyo Electron has no clear reason to engage in intellectual property theft, as it would jeopardize its relationship with TSMC, the world’s largest chip manufacturing equipment manufacturer and a supplier to NVIDIA and Apple.
Nagai pointed out, “TSMC is Tokyo Electron’s most important customer and a core participant in the semiconductor industry; it is hard to imagine that the company would risk losing everything due to illegal activities.”
Moreover, Tokyo Electron is also facing challenges from the increasingly tense relations between the U.S. and China. Approximately 40% of the company’s sales come from China, but due to U.S. technology export restrictions, it cannot sell the most advanced equipment to China. Last week, due to anticipated order cancellations and weak demand in the Chinese market, Tokyo Electron was forced to lower its profit forecast, resulting in an 18% drop in its stock price.
This controversy comes at a low point for Tokyo Electron, further intensifying its operational pressures. As the investigation deepens, the cooperation relationship between Tokyo Electron and TSMC, as well as its position in the global chip supply chain, will face new challenges.
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