由于全球竞争的日益激烈和目前市场的不景气现状,到2000年日本在世界半导体市场中所占的份额将从目前的33%降至25%。尽管如此,日本仍将保持其在世界半导体市场上的榜首地位,并不断增加工艺研究和开发方面的投资。造成日本今后几年市场份额减少的原因之一是东南亚半导体制造业的崛起。最近的一项预测表明,到2000年,东南亚地区将新建35条6英寸和8英寸晶片生产线,其中台湾至少要 Japan’s share in the world semiconductor market will drop from the current 33% to 25% by the year 2000 due to the increasingly fierce global competition and the current downturn in the market. In spite of this, Japan will maintain its top position in the world semiconductor market and continue to invest more in process research and development. One of the reasons Japan’s market share is declining in the coming years is the rise of semiconductor manufacturing in Southeast Asia. A recent forecast shows that by the year 2000, 35 6-inch and 8-inch wafer production lines will be built in Southeast Asia, of which at least Taiwan