Hello, this is Kenji, presenting the latest #tech Asia newsletter from Tokyo. This Friday marks a month since the M7.1 earthquake that hit the south-western Japanese prefecture of Kumamoto, taking 38 lives and affecting over 26,000 residences. Donations from around the world have been pouring in, but Taiwan — as usual — stands out. The International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF), an arm of Taiwan's Foreign Ministry, announced on Monday that a campaign initiated on the island had raised more than NT$300mn ($9.4mn) for relief efforts. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, which operates a chip factory in Kumamoto, has separately pledged ¥250mn ($1.6mn), while its charity foundation has launched a fundraising campaign among employees to help the community rebuild.

Lin Chia-lung, Taiwan's Foreign Minister who doubles as chair of the ICDF, highlighted the "longstanding, deep and profound friendship between Taiwan and Japan." Taiwan's outstanding generosity has been widely remembered in Japan, especially after the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011, when its donations reached ¥25bn, equivalent to more than $200mn at the time.

The fifth annual Japan-Taiwan Innovation Summit in Osaka and Tokyo attracted 46 start-ups from Taiwan in fields ranging from AI and autonomous driving to semiconductors, space technology, digital health and deep tech. A special emphasis was on aligning with the US and its Pax Silica initiative launched last December to create an international alliance with like-minded partners on AI and tech supply chain security. John Speaks, regional technology officer for east Asia at the US state department, said that creating a trusted tech ecosystem with trusted partners like Japan and Taiwan is "not a slogan" and "no longer optional."

Japan's Nichias and Taiwan's Gold Stone Development are building a plant in Hsinchu to produce PFA tubes essential for transporting chemicals throughout the chip production process. The new facility is expected to commence operations in early 2027, according to multiple sources with direct knowledge of the plan.