The Mainichi has learned that there are a large number of counterfeit semiconductors on the Japanese market due to the global shortage of semiconductors. Such semiconductors are taken from used household appliances or have the manufacturer’s name written over with a different name. An affiliate of Oki Electric Industry conducted a survey in response to requests from companies that purchased semiconductors from different vendors than usual. The survey found that over 30% of the semiconductors were counterfeit. A proliferation of inferior semiconductors on the market could decrease product performance and adversely affect product safety.

Semiconductor manufacturers decreased their output in the COVID-19 pandemic, but demand for semiconductors in automobiles and digital equipment has recovered rapidly. Semiconductors are also in short supply due to the fire at the production facility of Renesas Electronics, Japan’s top manufacturer.

Some manufacturers that procure semiconductors for their products are procuring older semiconductors no longer in production through specialized trading companies. Some manufacturers called for confirmation of the quality of such semiconductors. Oki Engineering, an affiliate of Oki Electric Industry, launched a semiconductor authentication service in June 2021. Oki Engineering has already received authentication requests from over 100 companies.

According to Oki Engineering, the most common counterfeit semiconductors were those that had the manufacturer’s name written over with another name. There were also semiconductors sold as “new” that were actually taken from discarded appliances made ten years ago and defective semiconductors that would normally be disposed of because they did not meet manufacturing standards. (Abridged)