TSMC may have to delay the construction of its Fab 23 phase 2 (JASM phase 2) near Kumamoto, Japan, by up to 18 months. The delay would push the start of mass production to 2029, according to a report by Nikkan (via @DanNystedt).
TSMC began mass production at its first Japanese fab, Fab 23 phase 1, in late December 2024. Construction of Fab 23 phase 2 was supposed to start earlier this year, but was delayed due to inadequate local infrastructure, with the Wall Street Journal reporting traffic congestion as a contributing factor. Typically, it takes about 18 to 24 months from pouring the foundation to the first test wafers running around the fab. Hence, if JASM phase 2 experiences a 1.5-year delay (i.e., in mid- or late-2026), then it is entirely possible that the first commercial products will be manufactured at the fab in 2028–2029.
