By Taihei Ishikawa, Rui Suzuki and Yohei Himeno / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers

Mitsui Fudosan Co. announced Monday that it will take part in the Kumamoto Science Park project, which aims to form a semiconductor industry cluster centered on northern Kumamoto Prefecture.

The major Japanese real estate company will undertake the development and construction of facilities for production and research, as well as offices, across an area of about 31 hectares, with completion expected by 2030. Near the site, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) has a state-of-the-art factory. Mitsui Fudosan aims to support the realization of the "New Silicon Island Kyushu" initiative led by local business circles and others.

Mitsui Fudosan, Kumamoto Prefecture and Koshi City signed an agreement regarding the park's development on the day. Construction is set to begin in May. Development will be divided into two phases, with a target of attracting dozens of companies during the first phase. The planned site for the park is located near two image sensor factories belonging to the Sony group, in addition to the semiconductor factory operated by TSMC.

"We want to establish a platform for industry-academia-government collaboration in Kumamoto that will serve as a foundation for creating the industries of the future," said Kumamoto Gov. Takashi Kimura at a ceremony held on the day.

In Taiwan, where 90% of the world's advanced semiconductor production is concentrated, major semiconductor companies are clustered in the Hsinchu Science Park in the north of the island. This includes TSMC, whose headquarters is located in the park. Joint research with universities and human resource development are actively conducted at the park, and Mitsui Fudosan plans to proceed with development based on the model of industry-academia-government collaboration there.

Mitsui Fudosan is strengthening its "industry developer" business, which aims to foster industrial growth through community development.

On Monday, the company also announced that it will establish a new business hub for the semiconductor industry this summer in Hokkaido, where Rapidus Corp. is developing facilities for advanced semiconductor production. At New Chitose Airport, a shared office space is planned to be set up to house companies, including those related to the semiconductor industry. Mitsui Fudosan already operates a similar office in the Nihombashi district of Tokyo, and is considering establishing one in Kumamoto Prefecture as well.

Mitsui Fudosan President and CEO Takashi Ueda told The Yomiuri Shimbun and other media outlets: "We want to grow together through community development that contributes to industrial growth. It is important not only to focus on the physical infrastructure but also on how to create an organic community."

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This article is from The Yomiuri Shimbun. Neither Dow Jones Newswires, MarketWatch, Barron's nor The Wall Street Journal were involved in the creation of this content.

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April 28, 2026 08:41 ET (12:41 GMT)

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