Chip Talk Criticized by Japanese

Japanese electronics companies said Tuesday that they resent Washington’s claims that they are not fully living up to their commitments under a bilateral semiconductor trade agreement.

One Japanese electronics company executive said the argument over market share ignores the fact that U.S. makers have taken back the lead in the world chip industry and are now fully integrated as indispensable suppliers in the Japanese market.

American chip makers are fully aware of this situation. “Big American chip makers are reporting record profits on semiconductor sales, increasing sales both in Japan and on the global market,” another executive from a major Japanese electronics company said.