Japan Officially Announces Export Controls

According to foreign media reports, the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has announced an amendment to the Foreign Exchange Law, adding 23 categories such as advanced chip manufacturing equipment to the list of export control objects. The above amendment will be implemented on July 23 after a 2-month announcement period!
The report points out that the United States is strictly restricting the export of advanced chip manufacturing equipment to China, while Japan’s move is equivalent to following in the footsteps of the United States.
According to Japan’s Foreign Exchange Law, the export of civilian items such as weapons that can be used for military purposes is controlled, and the export requires prior approval from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Although China and other specific countries and regions have not been explicitly listed as regulated objects, the 23 new projects will require separate licenses, excluding licenses from 42 friendly countries and regions, which poses practical difficulties for China and other countries’ exports.

According to the Ministry of Economy and Industry, the plan involves 23 types, including cleaning, film forming, heat treatment, exposure, etching, inspection, etc., including manufacturing equipment for extremely ultraviolet (EUV) related products and etching equipment for three-dimensional stacked storage components. In terms of the performance of computational logic semiconductors, they are essential equipment for manufacturing cutting-edge products with circuit line widths of 10 to 14 nanometers or less.
The Ministry of Economy and Industry announced in March this year that it plans to tighten regulation in July. At that time, Japanese Minister of Economy and Industry, Nishimura Yasumi, stated that “specific countries will not be considered”.
According to the website of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, a spokesperson from the Ministry of Commerce answered reporters’ questions about Japan’s official introduction of export control measures for semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce stated that we have noticed that the Japanese government has officially introduced export control measures for 23 types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, which is an abuse of export control measures and a serious departure from free trade and international economic and trade rules. China firmly opposes this.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce stated that during the public solicitation of opinions on the Japanese measures, the Chinese industry has submitted comments to the Japanese government. Multiple industry associations have publicly issued statements opposing the Japanese measures, and some Japanese industry groups and enterprises have expressed concerns about future uncertainty in various ways. Unfortunately, the measures announced by Japan do not respond to the reasonable demands of the industry, which will seriously harm the interests of Chinese and Japanese enterprises, seriously damage the economic and trade cooperation relationship between China and Japan, disrupt the global semiconductor industry pattern, and impact the security and stability of the industrial chain supply chain.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce stated that Japan should start from maintaining international economic and trade rules and Sino Japanese economic and trade cooperation, immediately correct erroneous practices, avoid measures that hinder the normal cooperation and development of the semiconductor industry between the two countries, and effectively maintain the stability of the global semiconductor industry chain supply chain. China will reserve the right to take measures and resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.