Apple’s Japan investment crosses US$100b, CEO Cook visits chip epicentre

APPLE said on Tuesday (Dec 13) it had invested more than US$100 billion in its Japanese supply network over the last five years, as its chief executive officer Tim Cook visited the epicentre of the country’s semiconductor industry.

Cook said in a Monday tweet he visited Kumamoto prefecture in southwestern Japan, home to factories of many semiconductor and leading technology firms, including one under construction by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC).

In a statement, Apple said it had boosted its spending on suppliers in Japan by more than 30 per cent since 2019, with a network spanning nearly 1,000 companies, from multi-nationals to family-run businesses.

It called Sony Group one of its biggest suppliers in Japan for providing camera sensors for iPhone products, while also mentioning medium- and small enterprises including textile firm Inoue Ribbon Industry and mould manufacturer Shincron as partners.

Apple said 29 Japanese suppliers have committed to converting to renewable energy for Apple-related businesses by 2030, including Sony, Murata Manufacturing, Keiwa, Fujikura and Sumitomo Electric Industries. REUTERS