With the explosive growth in AI computing demands, HBM (High-bandwidth Memory) has become an expensive component that limits computing power development. Not only is it pricey, but its production capacity is also monopolized by South Korean manufacturers such as SK Hynix and Samsung. To break this situation, the Japan Semiconductor Alliance, led by SoftBank, is actively taking action.
According to NikkeiReportFujitsu has officially confirmed its participation in a consortium led by Softbank and with Intel's involvement.SAIMEMORY New Memory Development ProjectThe goal of this project is very clear: to create a next-generation memory that can replace HBM, and to achieve lower costs and higher performance.
What is SAIMEMORY? The goal is to become an HBM killer.
The core vision of the "SAIMEMORY" project is to develop a commercially scalable alternative to HBM. According to the official technical specifications, this new memory will have the following advantages:
• Even more insane capacity:Provides 2 to 3 times the capacity of existing HBM.
• More power saving:Its power consumption is only 50% of that of existing HBMs.
• Even better price:The price is comparable to, or even lower than, that of HBM.
If these metrics can be achieved as scheduled, it will undoubtedly be a more favorable solution for AI servers that are currently plagued by the "memory wall" and high energy consumption issues.
All-star lineup: Japanese industry-academia-research collaboration + US chip giants + Taiwanese manufacturing
The participants in this project are a truly impressive lineup, bringing together the technological strengths of the US, Japan, and Taiwan:
• Core technology:This combines Intel’s Vertical Stacking technology with the academic achievements of the University of Tokyo in thermal management and transport technology.
• Semiconductor major:The newly joined Fujitsu will contribute its long-standing experience and patents in the semiconductor field.
• Manufacturing and Prototyping:The prototype design and manufacturing will be handled jointly by Shinko Electric and Taiwan's Powerchip Technology Corporation (PSMC). It's worth noting that Fujitsu is also a major shareholder of Shinko Electric.
In terms of funding, SAIMEMORY plans to invest a total of 80 billion yen (approximately NT$16.5 billion) by fiscal year 2027, of which Softbank will contribute 30 billion yen and Fujitsu and RIKEN will contribute a total of 10 billion yen to promote the SAIMEMORY project.
SAIMEMORY is currently a wholly owned subsidiary of Softbank, with Hideya Yamaguchi serving as its CEO. The company is located in Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally established on December 17, 2024, and changed its name to SAIMEMORY on May 7, 2025.
Analysis: A microcosm of Japan's attempt to regain its semiconductor glory
In my opinion, the SAIMEMORY project reflects Japan's anxiety and ambition to not be absent from the AI era. Currently, the HBM market is almost entirely dominated by Korean manufacturers, with Micron closely following behind, leaving Japanese companies with virtually no say in this field.
By leveraging Intel's advanced packaging technology, integrating the R&D capabilities of domestic companies like Fujitsu and RIKEN, and with manufacturing support from Powerchip Technology Ltd. in Taiwan, Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son clearly intends to use a "group attack" approach to gain a competitive advantage.
In particular, SAIMEMORY's focus on "low power consumption" is exactly what AI data centers need most in the face of the current energy crisis. If a product with half the power consumption can be launched in 2027, it will not only break the monopoly of Korean manufacturers, but may also become the standard configuration of the next generation of AI inference chips.
However, 80 billion yen in R&D funding is actually not a large amount in the cash-burning semiconductor industry. Is this just an initial test? It remains to be seen.
