China's tungsten export curbs threaten Japan's AI chip gas supply

China has halted exports of high‑purity tungsten to Japan, prompting Japanese chemical producers Showa Denko Kanto and Central Glass to suspend production of tungsten hexafluoride (WF6) from July. The gas, a critical precursor for advanced AI chip manufacturing on 3‑ to 7‑nanometre nodes, has seen its price surge more than 200 % year‑on‑year, with five‑nines WF6 quoted at over 1,700 yuan (US$251) per kilogram – "triple that of a year earlier".

The supply disruption jeopardises major chipmakers that rely on the gas, including Samsung Electronics, TSMC, SK Hynix and DB HiTek. Japan’s tungsten imports from China fell 50 % in April, forcing firms to seek alternative sources or substitute materials such as molybdenum, though widespread adoption remains distant. The curbs add pressure to an already tight semiconductor market driven by soaring demand for AI‑enabled devices and memory chips.