Global semiconductor shortage.

The global semiconductor shortage is hitting Japan, with the automobile industry understood to have pending orders. While customers usually get bargain deals or handsome festive discounts during this period, this time they are paying higher due to the chip shortage.

For instance, one of the most famous car brands Audi is extending production stops due to a lack of semiconductor supplies. The global impact of this review will be a reduction in production of approximately 70,000 additional units for September and approximately 330,000 units for October, resulting in a reduction of approximately 300,000 units for the full fiscal year ending March 2022.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), one of the world's leading semiconductor manufacturers, announced on October 14 that it will begin construction of a new plant in Japan in 2022 and start operations in 2024. The plant will be built in Kumamoto Prefecture in cooperation with the Sony Group, and is expected to manufacture semiconductors for automobiles and other applications.