Tokyo Electron confirms Taiwan unit employee's involvement in intellectual property case

[hist78]

"Tokyo Electron, a Japanese chip-making machinery maker, said in a statement, it has dismissed the employee involved and that its internal investigation has found no evidence of confidential information being shared with third parties.

Tokyo Electron said it is fully cooperating with authorities in the investigation, but declined to disclose further information, saying "the case is now under judicial review"."

https://www.reuters.com/markets/emerging/tokyo-electron-confirms-taiwan-unit-employees-involvement-intellectual-property-2025-08-07/

 

[Daniel Nenni]

"Tokyo Electron, a Japanese chip-making machinery maker, said in a statement, it has dismissed the employee involved and that its internal investigation has found no evidence of confidential information being shared with third parties.

Tokyo Electron said it is fully cooperating with authorities in the investigation, but declined to disclose further information, saying "the case is now under judicial review"."

https://www.reuters.com/markets/emerging/tokyo-electron-confirms-taiwan-unit-employees-involvement-intellectual-property-2025-08-07/

I wonder if there will be a link to Rapidus? Or is this just some idiots living outside of their means?

 

[hist78]

I wonder if there will be a link to Rapidus? Or is this just some idiots living outside of their means?

Given the scale of the case, with 3 people already in custody and 6 more allegedly involved, I don't believe this is merely out of curiosity or that they've formed a nonprofit semiconductor study club, just like a garden club or a medieval culture club.

By tracing the flow of money, the police will eventually uncover who is truly behind it.

 

[hist78]

I wonder if there will be a link to Rapidus? Or is this just some idiots living outside of their means?

In my opinion, TSMC, along with both the Taiwanese and Japanese authorities, probably already know who the mastermind or ultimate beneficiary of this scheme is. They just need time to formulate a solid and convincing response.

 

[Daniel Nenni]

Interesting turn of events:

"TSMC was shocked by an insider leak. An employee leaked TSMC's key 2-nanometer technology, which is about to be mass-produced and is unique in the world. Some employees even defected to Tokyo Electron (TEL), a major Japanese semiconductor equipment manufacturer, and reportedly leaked relevant secrets to Rapidus, Japan's national semiconductor team, as reference material for equipment adjustments during development."

Japanese Economic Daily:

台積電驚爆2奈米洩密案 工程師勾結跳槽東京威力科創前同事 | 產業熱點 | 產業 | 經濟日報

台積電驚爆內鬼洩密案，有員工外洩台積電即將量產、獨步全球的2奈米關鍵技術，甚至有人帶槍投靠跳槽到日本半導體設備大廠東京威...

money.udn.com

 

[Mooredaddy]

Interesting turn of events:

"TSMC was shocked by an insider leak. An employee leaked TSMC's key 2-nanometer technology, which is about to be mass-produced and is unique in the world. Some employees even defected to Tokyo Electron (TEL), a major Japanese semiconductor equipment manufacturer, and reportedly leaked relevant secrets to Rapidus, Japan's national semiconductor team, as reference material for equipment adjustments during development."

Japanese Economic Daily:

台積電驚爆2奈米洩密案 工程師勾結跳槽東京威力科創前同事 | 產業熱點 | 產業 | 經濟日報

台積電驚爆內鬼洩密案，有員工外洩台積電即將量產、獨步全球的2奈米關鍵技術，甚至有人帶槍投靠跳槽到日本半導體設備大廠東京威...

money.udn.com

Sheesh hopefully TSMC can sue Rapidus into the ground for this. Insane developments

 

[hist78]

TSMC trade secrets leak puts Tokyo Electron in hot seat​

A Taiwanese investigation into the possible theft of chip technology at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) is putting a low-profile, lesser-known tech linchpin in Japan under unusual scrutiny.

Among the six people arrested by Taiwanese prosecutors for allegedly stealing trade secrets from the world’s largest contract chipmaker was a former employee of Tokyo Electron.

Now, the Japanese company — one of the world’s biggest suppliers of chipmaking tools — is struggling to address the potential fallout with one of its most important customers and with governments in Tokyo and Taipei.

Tokyo Electron said that it fired an employee at its Taipei unit in connection with the case and is cooperating with the ongoing investigation. Its shares, which fell 2.5% on Thursday to their lowest since late April, recouped some of the week's losses Friday but remain down by more than 4% since the TSMC news emerged.

TSMC trade secrets leak puts Tokyo Electron in hot seat

The Japanese supplier of chipmaking tools is struggling to address the potential fallout after a former employee was implicated in the case.

www.japantimes.co.jp

 

[hist78]

Regarding Certain Media Reports About Tokyo Electron​

We have confirmed that a former employee of Tokyo Electron Taiwan Ltd., our subsidiary in Taiwan, was involved in the case issued by the Intellectual Property Branch of the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office as of August 5, 2025.

At Tokyo Electron, we are unwavering in our commitment to the highest standards of legal compliance and ethical conduct. We maintain zero-tolerance policy toward any behaviors against those. We have taken strict disciplinary action and dismissed the personnel involved who worked at Taiwan subsidiary and been fully committed to cooperating with the Authorities for the investigation.

As of now, based upon the findings of our internal investigation we have not confirmed any evidence of the respective confidential information shared to any third parties. As the case is now under judicial review, we are unable to provide further details at this time.

Regarding Certain Media Reports About Tokyo Electron | News Room | Tokyo Electron Ltd.

www.tel.com

 

[hist78]

Regarding Certain Media Reports About Tokyo Electron​

We have confirmed that a former employee of Tokyo Electron Taiwan Ltd., our subsidiary in Taiwan, was involved in the case issued by the Intellectual Property Branch of the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office as of August 5, 2025.

At Tokyo Electron, we are unwavering in our commitment to the highest standards of legal compliance and ethical conduct. We maintain zero-tolerance policy toward any behaviors against those. We have taken strict disciplinary action and dismissed the personnel involved who worked at Taiwan subsidiary and been fully committed to cooperating with the Authorities for the investigation.

As of now, based upon the findings of our internal investigation we have not confirmed any evidence of the respective confidential information shared to any third parties. As the case is now under judicial review, we are unable to provide further details at this time.

Regarding Certain Media Reports About Tokyo Electron | News Room | Tokyo Electron Ltd.

www.tel.com

The phrase of "we have not confirmed any evidence of the respective confidential information shared to any third parties" is an interesting statement.

In my opinion, Tokyo Electron has indirectly confirmed that additional employees may have received or viewed the alleged TSMC trade secret materials. Otherwise, Tokyo Electron could have stated that it was a case of a single employee’s personal misconduct and that none of the stolen data was found within its corporate systems or environment.