Japan’s High-Stakes Gamble To Turn Island of Flowers Into Global Chip Hub

An anonymous reader quotes a report from the BBC: The island of Hokkaido has long been an agricultural powerhouse — now Japan is investing billions to turn it into a global hub for advanced semiconductors. More than half of Japan’s dairy produce comes from Hokkaido, the northernmost of its main islands. In winter, it’s a wonderland of ski resorts and ice-sculpture festivals; in summer, fields bloom with bands of lavender, poppies and sunflowers. These days, cranes are…