Rapidus is set to start the operations of a pilot line at its plant for advanced semiconductors in Chitose, Hokkaido, on Tuesday.

The launch of the test line will be an important milestone in Rapidus' aim of beginning mass production at the factory in 2027. Securing domestic output bases for chips, a strategic item, is a pressing issue for Japan at a time when geopolitical risks such as a standoff between the United States and China are becoming more apparent.

Rapidus was established in 2022 with investments from Toyota Motor, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. and other Japanese companies.

The Chitose plant is slated to produce cutting-edge semiconductors with a circuit line width of 2 nanometers, expected to be used in artificial intelligence technology and autonomous driving systems. A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter.

Last December, Rapidus became the first Japanese firm to adopt extreme ultraviolet lithography equipment, which is essential for making chips with narrow circuit line widths.

"We will surely be able to start mass production by 2027," Rapidus President Atsuyoshi Koike said. "It's not an easy path, but we aim to improve the yield rate (in the pilot production phase) and ensure reliability."

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world's largest semiconductor foundry, and other chipmakers are also preparing to mass-produce 2-nanometer chips. Rapidus is aiming to set itself apart from competitors by focusing on shortening delivery times.