Japanese state-owned fund considers selling chip material manufacturer jsr

The Japan Industrial Innovation Investment Corporation (JIC), a government-backed fund, is considering selling the chip materials manufacturer JSR. Two years ago, the corporation privatized JSR in a $6 billion deal. Regulated by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, JIC was established in 2018 with the aim of enhancing Japan’s competitiveness through corporate investments. According to insiders, Fujifilm and Mitsubishi Chemical have both expressed interest in acquiring the company. Massive investments in the artificial intelligence sector have driven up valuations in the chip supply chain industry. Originally, JIC hoped to use JSR to promote consolidation in the materials sector, but it is now considering taking advantage of the favorable market environment to sell the company. Founded in 1957, JSR is a leading manufacturer in the photoresist field, which is used to transfer circuit patterns onto semiconductor wafers. In the fiscal year ending March this year, JSR posted a net profit of 60.7 billion yen and revenue of 400.7 billion yen.