By Junko Yoshida

When Japan announced late last week a national project to launch a semiconductor company dubbed Rapidus, backed by the country’s biggest companies in partnership with IBM, I suspect I was not alone when I groaned, “Not again.”

Many understand that Japan loves ambitious long-term R&D projects. These national initiatives provide a pretext for ministry officials to goad Japanese corporations into pooling their resources to create new technologies. The point is to keep Japan competitive in advanced technologies.

By George Leopold

If, as China watchers emphasize, Beijing desires respect above all else, it must earn that respect by adhering to international norms on issues ranging from market access to intellectual property rights.

By Junko Yoshida

As a cub reporter in Tokyo in 1992, I covered the U.S.-Japan chip war. Living now in the U.S., I’m watching America’s latest chip war with China building steam like a slow-motion train wreck.

In both conflicts, the U.S. goal is defending its lead in technology innovation, while hobbling its rival’s rapid advances.

By Junko Yoshida

What’s at stake?
What went wrong with Argo AI is the  wrong question. Rather: What’s up with Argo’s investors? What outcome did investors Ford and Volkswagen expect? Were they prepared to play the long game? Most important, do they understand what it takes to build a highly automated vehicle that’s both sexy and safe?

As the enthusiasm of its largest investors–Ford and Volkswagen–for autonomous vehicles waned, Argo AI’s fate was sealed.

Beijing’s attempts to create a complete technology ecosystem, including extended supply chains for semiconductor design, production and packaging, are being boxed in on a number of fronts.

By George Leopold

You know a government program is institutionalized when the acronyms start flying.