November 11, 2026 / SemiMedia / — Rapidus faces the risk of delaying 2nm mass production by about a year as process development and yield improvement prove difficult, Jiji Press reported. The Japanese foundry's original target is the second half of fiscal 2027, from October 2027 through March 2028. The report said a postponement into fiscal 2028 was under consideration.

Rapidus has not announced a revised schedule. Responding on November 10, the company said it remained committed to beginning mass production in the second half of fiscal 2027. It declined to disclose technical development details, citing confidentiality.

Bloomberg separately reported that Rapidus had not yet demonstrated functioning SRAM cells, missing a milestone that sources said was needed by summer 2026 to meet the production target. Development was at least several months behind schedule, according to the report, which also cited unresolved dust and particle control issues in the cleanroom.

Rapidus announced working 2nm gate all around transistor prototypes at its IIM-1 facility in Chitose, Hokkaido, in July 2025. Jiji Press said subsequent work to integrate transistors with one another and other components had encountered difficulties, while yield improvement remained a concern.

The company continues to build its customer design ecosystem. In October, it announced 17 Design Solution Associates, including Synopsys and Infosys, to help customers develop chips for its process. CEO Atsuyoshi Koike previously said the company was discussing potential manufacturing business with more than 60 firms, mainly overseas.

Japan has earmarked more than 2 trillion yen in state funding for Rapidus, according to Bloomberg. The business plan submitted to the economy ministry retains a roadmap for newer nodes, including 1.4nm, after 2nm production, and targets an initial public offering around fiscal 2031.