According to TSMC's own statement, as reported by TechNews, Japan's Kumamoto region "experienced a magnitude-7 earthquake on July 28, followed by multiple aftershocks of considerable magnitude." A separate report from CNA, citing Japanese authorities, gave more precise figures: the quake struck Kumamoto Prefecture at 4:27 p.m. local time on July 28 with a magnitude of 7.1, a maximum seismic intensity of 7, and a focal depth of 10 kilometers.
The two figures — TSMC's "magnitude 7" and CNA's "magnitude 7.1" — describe the same event but differ slightly in the reported number, illustrating how a company statement and a wire report can present the same earthquake with different precision.
TechNews reported that TSMC's JASM wafer fab in Kumamoto recorded a maximum seismic intensity of 5 at the site itself — lower than the 7 reported region-wide by CNA. Per TSMC's statement, JASM "activated internal safety procedures immediately when the earthquake struck and evacuated personnel right away; all evacuated staff were confirmed safe."
By July 30, TSMC said it had "completed a post-earthquake damage inspection of the JASM plant building and confirmed the structure is safe," according to TechNews.
TSMC's July 30 statement, reported by TechNews, said JASM's "water supply, electricity, and industrial safety systems are operating normally, and inspection and calibration work related to production equipment is ongoing." CNA, reporting a day earlier on July 29, quoted TSMC saying that "because the shaking was relatively large this time, the Kumamoto JASM wafer fab is expected to need some time to adjust and calibrate." Together, the two reports show recalibration work spanning at least from July 29 through July 30, with no completion date given in either.
According to TechNews, TSMC said that "after taking stock, TSMC has also deployed resources to support JASM, and raw material supply is currently not a concern." No further detail on the scale or nature of the resources was provided in the statement.
TechNews reported that JASM's construction site "was not affected, and after confirming safety, construction resumed yesterday (the 29th)" — referring to July 29, one day after the earthquake. This sits alongside the fab's broader production timeline reported by CNA: JASM's first wafer fab entered volume production at the end of 2024 using a specialty process technology, while a second Kumamoto fab is planned to use 3-nanometer process technology, with mass production targeted for 2028.
| Date / Milestone | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 28, 2026 | Earthquake: M7 (TSMC) / M7.1, max intensity 7, depth 10km (CNA) | TechNews / CNA |
| Jul 28, 2026 | JASM site max intensity: 5 | TechNews |
| Jul 29, 2026 | JASM construction site resumes work after safety check | TechNews |
| Jul 30, 2026 | TSMC confirms building structure safe, systems normal, calibration ongoing | TechNews |
| End of 2024 | JASM Fab 1 enters volume production (specialty process) | CNA |
| 2028 (planned) | JASM Fab 2 targets mass production on 3nm process | CNA |
TSMC said, as quoted by TechNews, "we are conducting a comprehensive review of the impact caused by this earthquake, and are maintaining close communication with customers." No specifics on customer commitments or review findings were disclosed in the statement.
Reading the two reports together shows a fab that came through a major regional earthquake — magnitude 7 to 7.1 depending on the source — with confirmed personnel safety and structural integrity, but with production equipment calibration still an open item as of TSMC's July 30 statement, a day after CNA first reported the quake would require "some time" to adjust for. Construction on the second, 3nm-targeted fab resumed within a day (July 29), while TSMC's language on resource deployment, raw material supply, and customer communication stops short of specifying a timeline for when calibration — and any related output impact — will be complete.
No. TSMC said JASM evacuated personnel immediately under its internal safety procedures, and all evacuated staff were confirmed safe, according to TechNews.
Yes. TechNews reported the construction site was unaffected by the quake and work resumed on July 29 after safety was confirmed.
CNA reported the second fab will use 3-nanometer process technology and is targeted for mass production in 2028.
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