Chip Shortage Spurs Japanese Workers to Forgo Vacations

Workers at seven semiconductor plants owned by one of Japan’s largest machinery manufacturers will give up summer vacations because of a worldwide shortage of computer chips, a news report said Saturday.

Japan’s Kyodo News Service, quoting unidentified industry sources, said workers at seven Hitachi Ltd. semiconductor plants agreed Friday to a management proposal that they skip their vacations, usually lasting about a week in mid-August.

No details were given on the agreement. Officials were not available for comment over the weekend.

Kyodo said two other major Japanese chip makers, Fujitsu Ltd. and Mitsubishi Electric Corp., are negotiating with their unions over a similar cancellation of summer holidays.

Buyers are urging chip makers to maintain or increase production to make up for serious chip shortages, expected to last until next spring, Kyodo said.