Overview
- Micron broke ground on the Hiroshima expansion on Saturday, July 4, 2026, and committed roughly ¥1.5 trillion (about $9.3–$9.6 billion) to upgrade the site.
- The company says the upgraded plant will focus on high‑bandwidth memory, the premium memory used by AI accelerators, with initial shipments targeted around summer 2028 as a company projection.
- Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has pledged up to ¥500 billion toward the project and broader reporting shows roughly ¥775 billion in support or incentives earmarked for Micron to date.
- The move is designed to help Micron close the gap with HBM leaders Samsung and SK Hynix, but the plan faces execution risks from long lead times, rival capacity builds, legal and market uncertainties, and dependence on policy support.
- The expansion builds on Micron’s long presence in Hiroshima since acquiring Elpida in 2013 and ties into Tokyo’s wider chips and AI roadmap that aims to rebalance supply chains and boost local suppliers and jobs.