As demand for power semiconductors used in EVs (electric vehicles) and other devices increases, Japan's semiconductor majors are accelerating efforts to strengthen development and production. Power semiconductors are a field that Japanese manufacturers have traditionally excelled at, and this will be an important phase in whether they can improve their global competitiveness by strengthening their business.
In January, Mitsubishi Electric announced a new power semiconductor product that uses a material called "SiC" that has excellent durability and energy-saving performance.
It is characterized by a size that is 40% smaller than previous models, and the parts installed in the car can also be made smaller, leading to longer driving distance per charge.
Shinichi Kusunoki, General Manager of Semiconductor and Devices Division 1, said, ``In order to focus on the growing market, we will firmly launch products for the automobile market.''
Meanwhile, Renesas Electronics acquired an American company in January with the aim of mass producing power semiconductors that use gallium nitride, which has high energy-saving performance, as a material.
Additionally, Mitsubishi Electric, Fuji Electric, Toshiba, ROHM, and Renesas are planning to increase their production capacity from this year onwards.
As global demand for power semiconductors, which Japan has traditionally excelled at, is increasing, competition with overseas companies such as Germany's Infineon, the largest manufacturer, is intensifying, and Japanese companies are increasing their global competitiveness. This will be an important point.