Japan’s manufacturing sector is having a moment. The latest Reuters Tankan survey, published June 17, shows factory sentiment climbing for the second consecutive month, hitting a positive index of +13 in June, up from +8 in May. The driving force behind this optimism is something crypto markets know well: insatiable demand for chips.
The chemicals industry, which supplies critical materials to semiconductor fabrication, saw the most dramatic swing. Its sentiment index jumped to +20 from +6, a move that reflects just how deeply Japan’s chip revival is reshaping industrial confidence across the supply chain.
The semiconductor tailwind
Japan has been methodically rebuilding its position in the global semiconductor ecosystem. Government subsidies and flagship initiatives like the Rapidus project, which aims to achieve 2nm chip production by 2027, are injecting real momentum into the sector.
The survey collected responses from 215 of 490 firms between June 3 and June 12. A positive index means more companies reported favorable conditions than unfavorable ones.
