Japan's Rapidus ramps up 2nm chip plans while eyeing factories on the Moon

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Apr. 09, 2026 –

With working prototypes, fresh funding, and IBM support, the company is aiming for mass production by 2027

By Skye Jacobs, Techspot

Japan's state-backed chip venture Rapidus has entered 2026 in a different position from when it was launched in 2022. The company has moved from a national bet on paper to an operating pilot line with working two-nanometer prototypes, fresh capital, and a leadership team openly talking about building fabs beyond Earth's atmosphere.

Rapidus' first plant, IIM-1 in Chitose, Hokkaido, has shifted from a construction site to a pilot line. In mid-2025, the company had activated the cleanroom, installed extreme ultraviolet tools, and began running test wafers through a two-nanometer gate-all-around process developed with IBM.

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