Taipei, 27 April 2026 – A Taiwanese court has sentenced a former Tokyo Electron employee to 10 years in prison for stealing trade secrets from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, underscoring how advanced chip technology has become a matter of national security as well as corporate competition.

The Intellectual Property and Commercial Court also fined Tokyo Electron’s Taiwan unit NT$150 million, or about US$4.78 million, in connection with the case. Reuters reported that the ruling involved the theft of sensitive semiconductor technology belonging to TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker.

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Author

Rebecca Hsu
Rebecca Hsu is a Senior Economist and Lead Analyst for The Ledger Asia, focusing on the rapidly evolving financial landscapes of East and Southeast Asia. With a background in sovereign risk assessment and emerging market trends, Rebecca provides sharp commentary on trade dynamics, monetary policy, and the digital economy's impact on regional growth.
Formerly a strategic advisor for major financial institutions in Hong Kong, she excels at translating complex macroeconomic shifts into actionable insights for investors and policymakers. Her work at The Ledger Asia centers on China’s economic transition and the burgeoning manufacturing hubs of ASEAN, ensuring readers stay ahead of Asia’s shifting financial tides.