Press Conference by Minister Akazawa (Excerpt)

*Note: This is a provisional translation for reference purposes only.

5:15 p.m.‒5:29 p.m.
Friday, November 21, 2025
Press Conference Room, METI Main Building

Opening Remarks

Next-generation semiconductor manufacturer eligible for financial support under the Act on Facilitation of Information Processing selected

Today, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) selected Rapidus Corporation as the next-generation semiconductor manufacturer eligible for financial support under the Act on Facilitation of Information Processing. We reviewed the implementation plan submitted by the company at the Subcommittee on Next-Generation Semiconductors of the Industrial Structure Council and selected the company as the support recipient in view of the findings report. Based on the plan, METI intends to invest the 100 billion yen allocated in the fiscal 2025 initial budget in Rapidus through the Information-technology Promotion Agency, Japan (IPA). This project, which constitutes the core of the Government of Japan’s crisis management investment, is a national endeavor that cannot afford to fail as it could jeopardize the country’s national interests. We will continue to exert maximum effort to lead the project to success. The administrative staff will provide details.

Visit to Ishikawa Prefecture

I will visit Ishikawa Prefecture this Sunday, which is November 23. Around two years have passed since the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, and we are seeing some progress in the recovery of livelihoods for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). I will observe reconstruction sites in Wajima City and Nanao City, which were especially affected, and exchange views with Mr. Hase, Governor of Ishikawa, in addition to local government officials and disaster-hit business operators. Disaster prevention is my lifelong work. I have devoted myself to it, considering it vital to the lifeline of Japan. I intend to closely examine the local situation to continue implementing support measures tailored to the local needs.

Question-and-Answer Session

Comprehensive Economic Measures

Q: A cabinet decision was made today on the Comprehensive Economic Measures, which include the expansion of subsidies for electricity and gas bills, as well as a policy to prioritize investment in crisis management involving AI, semiconductors, critical minerals, and so forth. Please share your commitments in terms of implementing the measures.

A: A cabinet decision was made on the Comprehensive Economic Measures at today’s extraordinary cabinet meeting. METI will first devote its full efforts to measures related to addressing inflation, which is the top priority of the Takaichi Cabinet. Specifically, with the agreement of both the ruling and opposition parties, METI started increasing subsidies for gasoline and diesel fuel from Thursday, November 13, to reduce tax surcharges on these fuels in phases to the level equivalent to their elimination. In addition, the Government of Japan will help the public pay their electricity and gas bills, steadily and swiftly providing them with peace of mind in their daily lives during the severe winter. Furthermore, to achieve wage increases that surpass the rise in prices, METI will make dedicated efforts to support companies that are striving to become leading medium enterprises (LMEs) or SMEs with Growth Power in a society where labor supply is limited. Measures will include ensuring rigorous price pass-through and fair trade practices including in public-sector procurement; supporting investments for productivity improvement, and labor-saving measures, including growth investments; and strengthening the foundation of corporate management through business succession and M&A.

Additionally, we will encourage proactive investments from both the public and private sectors by promoting bold capital investments and R&D, primarily in AI, semiconductors, quantum technology, biotechnology, aviation and space, energy, and green transformation (GX)—key strategic fields for crisis management investment, which forms the core of the Takaichi Cabinet’s Growth Strategy. By promoting public and private sector investments, we aim to boost the supply capacity of the Japanese economy, enhance the Growth Power of Japanese companies, and achieve wage growth that surpass the rise in prices, thereby building a strong economy.

International collaboration in economic security

Q: I would like to now ask about international collaboration in economic security. The Government of Japan has been advancing economic security cooperation with ASEAN countries and Australia, for example by hosting a roundtable on economic security in Jakarta and an industrial cooperation symposium in Australia. The Government of Japan has been providing opportunities for Japanese companies to meet with the governments of different countries to promote the exchange of views in areas such as space, defense, and AI. What is the purpose of seeking stronger cooperation in these fields, and what is the significance of forging economic security cooperation with ASEAN countries and Australia? Aside from Southeast Asian countries and Australia, which countries is Japan seeking to cooperate with?

A: The Government of Japan forges industrial cooperation by catering to the needs of partner countries and by leveraging Japan’s strengths in strategic fields such as AI, space, and defense. This not only strengthens partner countries’ economic security but also helps Japan reinforce its industrial foundation by promoting the procurement of its technologies and products. It is for these purposes and significance that we are proactively advancing cooperation with a wide range of countries and regions through exchanges of views in both the public and private sectors. We intend to continue seeking cooperation with G7 countries and partners in the Indo-Pacific region, including ASEAN countries, in pursuit of stronger mutual economic security.