Japan Plans System for Temporary Acquisitions of Key Plants

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)--Japan presented plans Tuesday to introduce a system allowing the government to temporarily acquire factories making key products to ensure stable supplies during emergencies under its national economic security promotion law.

The system would be activated when production of specified critical products designated in the law is disrupted, including by a halt to raw materials imports, in order ensure stable supplies of the goods.

The government would sell the acquired factories to companies once production returns to normal. To introduce the system, the government will revise related ordinances and guidelines as early as February 2025.

The system could be used, for instance, to buy factories and commission them to make products to meet a sudden increase in demand due to such factors as an infectious disease outbreak. Also expected are temporary acquisitions of factories to prevent important technologies from being taken abroad.

At present, 12 items are listed as specified critical products, including semiconductors, storage batteries and antibacterial products.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]