Resonac President and CEO Hidehito Takahashi (front row, third from left) in Tokyo on Sept. 3 along with officials from companies participating in a joint framework to develop chipmaking equipment | JIJI NAGOYA - Faced with a long slump in their mainline petrochemical operations, major Japanese chemical makers are working with other companies over businesses related to semiconductor materials. While chemical makers are in the middle of a structural shift with hopes to turn the semiconductor-related businesses into their new pillars of growth, the rise of generative artificial intelligence has made it challenging for them to make semiconductors more functional on their own. Therefore, they are taking measures with others, such as setting up a joint framework, to speed up the development of related materials. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.