Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has certified a supply assurance plan filed by Central Glass Co., Ltd. for anhydrous hydrofluoric acid, the chemical maker said on 16 September 2026. The certification, issued under the critical-mineral (fluorine) support measure of the Economic Security Promotion Act, makes Central Glass eligible for a subsidy of up to approximately ¥17.6bn toward the equipment investment covered by the plan.
The company plans to build new anhydrous hydrofluoric acid production facilities at its Ube plant in Ube, Yamaguchi Prefecture. Central Glass said it will now move to a detailed study of the investment needed to use the support measure. No construction timeline, total project cost, or capacity figure has been disclosed.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Production site (planned) | Central Glass Ube plant, Ube, Yamaguchi Prefecture |
| Investment content | New anhydrous hydrofluoric acid manufacturing facility |
| Maximum subsidy | Approximately ¥17.6bn |
| Certification date | 16 September 2026 |
Anhydrous hydrofluoric acid, refined from the critical mineral fluorine, feeds a wide span of industries: semiconductors, energy, telecommunications equipment, transport, medical devices and construction infrastructure. Central Glass and METI frame the subsidy around a supply-chain vulnerability rather than a growth opportunity. Japan's supply of the acid and its raw material, fluorspar (CaF2), is heavily dependent on imports from China, exposing domestic semiconductor and electronics makers to disruption from geopolitical tension or export controls.
The Economic Security Promotion Act, Japan's law for shoring up supply of goods judged critical to national resilience, underwrites this kind of capital-cost support. Central Glass's fluorine plan is one project certified under the law's critical-mineral support measure.
Central Glass was careful to size the news. It said the effect on consolidated results for the fiscal year ending March 2027 will be minor, and stressed that ¥17.6bn is a ceiling on eligible subsidy, not a sum already paid out. The scope, schedule and final cost of the Ube expansion remain to be worked out. Central Glass said it will proceed with detailed study of the investment and will promptly announce any matters that require disclosure as they arise.