TSMC trade secrets leak puts Tokyo Electron in hot seat

A Taiwanese investigation into the possible theft of chip technology at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) is putting a low-profile, lesser-known tech linchpin in Japan under unusual scrutiny.

Among the six people arrested by Taiwanese prosecutors for allegedly stealing trade secrets from the world’s largest contract chipmaker was a former employee of Tokyo Electron.

Now, the Japanese company — one of the world’s biggest suppliers of chipmaking tools — is struggling to address the potential fallout with one of its most important customers and with governments in Tokyo and Taipei.