The Japan Development Bank (DBJ) has announced a massive investment of over US$1 billion (equivalent to 150 billion yen) aimed at boosting supply chains for chips, storage batteries, and other key products. This initiative will be rolled out over two years, commencing in the fiscal year 2024.

 

According to reports from the Nikkei Business Daily, the investments will be strategically distributed to support essential infrastructure such as logistics facilities, as well as through capital injections and subordinate debt. The primary focus will be on supporting research and development of next-generation semiconductors, storage batteries, and crucial elements such as rare earth metals.

 

The portal also highlights that a significant portion of the investment will be directed towards strengthening the production of materials for lithium-ion batteries, particularly for the automotive industry. An investment of up to 15 billion yen is expected to be allocated to increasing production capacity at Artience, formerly known as Toyo Ink SC Holdings.