Japan’s bid to revive its semiconductor dominance is reshaping the rural heart of Kumamoto, where billions in government-backed investment and the arrival of tech titan Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) are driving job growth and a broader economic boom. This comes as semiconductors have been designated a strategic pillar of the country’s industrial policy, as Tokyo seeks to rebuild domestic chipmaking capacity and reduce reliance on overseas supply chains. CNA’s Michiyo Ishida