Archive · 27 Aug 2026
Kioxia and Sandisk Plan $31 Billion Japan Chip Investment
Kioxia and Sandisk make flash-memory chips that store information for a long time.
They plan to spend more than $31 billion in Japan by 2032.
Much of the money will help build and improve factories.
Kioxia also wants to add a new facility at its Kitakami plant.
The facility could begin operating in the financial year starting in April 2029.
The companies expect AI applications to create greater demand for memory chips.
They will decide some construction and equipment plans based on market conditions.
The investment also depends on receiving support from the Japanese government.
Kioxia Holdings and Sandisk plan to invest more than $31 billion in Japan through 2032.
The spending will expand production infrastructure and support flash-memory technology for AI-related demand.
Kioxia plans a new facility at its Kitakami plant in Iwate Prefecture, targeting operations from April 2029.
Construction and equipment spending will depend on market conditions, while the overall investment depends on government support.
The companies say their partnership has invested more than $50 billion in Japan over the past 25 years.
- Who
- Kioxia Holdings and Sandisk, which operate a joint venture in flash-memory production.
- What
- They announced plans to invest more than $31 billion in Japan through 2032 and expand production capacity.
- When
- The announcement was made Thursday; the investments are planned through 2032, with the new facility targeted to begin operations in the fiscal year starting April 2029.
- Where
- Japan, including Kioxia’s Kitakami plant in Iwate Prefecture.
- Why
- To expand the supply of flash memory for growing demand, including from agentic and other artificial-intelligence applications.
- Planned investment
- More than $31 billion in Japan through 2032
- Companies
- Kioxia Holdings and Sandisk
- Product
- NAND flash memory for long-term data storage
- Planned facility
- A new facility at Kioxia’s Kitakami plant in Iwate Prefecture
- Target operations
- Fiscal year beginning April 2029
- Government support
- The investment is contingent upon support from the Japanese government
- Past investment
- The partnership says it has invested more than $50 billion in Japan over 25 years