IBM Opens Chitose Office to Deepen Rapidus 2nm Partnership

Technology giant IBM has opened an office in Japan's Chitose city, located in Hokkaido, as part of plans to deepen its partnership with Japan's Rapidus Corporation in efforts to develop 2-nanometer chip manufacturing technology. Rapidus is a consortium of eight Japanese companies that aims to produce advanced chips domestically, and its partnership with IBM dates back to 2022, when the pair announced joint development of 2-nanometer technology.

IBM and Rapidus's partnership involves 2-nanometer technology, which IBM first debuted in 2021. IBM claims its 2-nanometer chips will achieve 45% improved performance or 75% improved power efficiency over 7-nanometer chips, and IBM is also designing 2-nanometer chips with nanosheet technology, described as an upgrade over the traditional FinFET model.

In a fresh announcement on the 26th, IBM shared that it is opening an office in Chitose, Japan's Hokkaido prefecture. Chitose is also where Rapidus selected the site for its 2-nanometer plant, and Rapidus opened an office in the area in 2024. A machine-translated version of IBM's Japanese press release shares that the firm will increase support for its semiconductor-related customers with the new office, including Rapidus Corporation. A release on the Nikkei adds that IBM is providing Rapidus with 2-nanometer technology and is working with the firm to target mass production; the firm aims to develop an ecosystem that enables mass production, but the release does not outline a production timeline.

However, in November last year, Rapidus outlined that it had planned to commence mass production of the 2-nanometer chips in its fiscal year 2027. The firm's fiscal year ends in December and mass production is aimed for the second half of 2027. If it succeeds, then along with TSMC, Intel and Samsung, Rapidus will become the fourth company in the world capable of mass-producing the advanced chips.