东京电子（Tokyo Electron）在发现高级主管 Jay Chen 与涉及中国竞争对手的新创企业有关联后，迅速将其撤换。根据《金融时报》及知情人士看到的公司纪录，该公司在 2024 年秋季识别出其家族关联投资后确认了这一关系。虽然 Chen 曾直到 2024 年负责东京电子的中国业务并成为其市场扩张的重要设计者，但公司仍于 2025 年 2 月取代了他；他在合同于 9 月到期前仍留任为特别顾问，显示这是受控且分阶段的离任，而非立即解雇。东京电子称，Chen 使中国半导体生态系成为日本在全球的重要战略据点。

WST Semiconductor（苏州 WST 半导体科技）中，Chen 的妻子 Takako Ohtori 持股的投资工具是创始股东之一。WST 起初为中国市场中的东京电子设备提供服务，但后来转向开发竞争性的 chipmaking tools，尤其是 track systems 技术；东京电子表示已不再与 WST 合作。监管申报文件显示，WST 于 2022 年开始研发 clean track machine 原型，并声称其与主流设备兼容、便于整合，该机型仍在内部测试中。WST 亦购买二手 track 机器，翻新后在中国转售。同时，Chen 还透过其妻子名下 BMJ Holding 及一家位于上海的合伙企业关联 Britech Semiconductor Equipment；Britech 的 2023 年投资者材料称，Chen 在东京电子的持续职务有利于新创企业取得产业及地方政府支持。

东京电子是世界上最重要的半导体制造设备供应商之一，为 TSMC、Samsung 和 Intel 等晶圆代工厂提供设备，并在 track systems（涂布系统）全球市场占有约 90%。这反映了与北京多十亿美元投入建立自给自足半导体产业的大背景相关的更广泛挑战。东京大学经济安全研究所所长 Akira Igata 指出，该事件突显了战略性科技部门面对的经济安全、公司治理与内幕风险问题。东京电子否认有任何须向政府通报的技术外泄，并声称未受 WST 竞争影响。该公司同时先前已爆发其他争议：2026 年 4 月 之前，台湾检方在 12 月起诉其当地子公司未能阻止疑似 TSMC 商业机密外流。

Tokyo Electron removed veteran executive Jay Chen soon after confirming links between him and start-ups tied to Chinese competitors. According to corporate records reviewed by the FT and people with knowledge of the matter, he became linked to this case when the company identified his family-linked investments in autumn 2024. Although Chen had run TEL’s China operations until 2024 and was a key architect of its market expansion, the company replaced him in February 2025. He remained a special adviser until his contract ended in September, signaling a controlled, phased departure rather than an immediate dismissal. Tokyo Electron said Chen helped make China’s semiconductor ecosystem one of Japan’s strongest strategic positions globally.

Through an investment vehicle in which his wife Takako Ohtori holds an interest, Suzhou WST Semiconductor Technology was a founding shareholder-connected firm that initially serviced TEL equipment in China and then shifted to developing rival chipmaking tools, especially in track systems. TEL says it no longer works with WST. Regulatory filings show WST began developing a clean track machine prototype in 2022 and claims compatibility with mainstream equipment and easy integration; the design is still under internal testing. WST also buys second-hand track tools, upgrades them, and resells them in China. Separately, Chen is linked to Britech Semiconductor Equipment through BMJ Holding (registered to Ohtori) and a Shanghai partnership, and Britech’s 2023 investor materials said Chen’s continued role at TEL was beneficial for gaining industry and local-government support.

Tokyo Electron is one of the world’s most important semiconductor-manufacturing equipment suppliers, serving firms such as TSMC, Samsung, and Intel, and it holds about 90 per cent of the global market for track systems used in the lithography coating stage. This case sits inside a broader contest as Beijing channels billions to build a self-sufficient semiconductor industry. Akira Igata of Tokyo University’s economic security lab says the episode shows wider economic-security, governance, and insider-risk challenges for strategic technology sectors. TEL denied that any technical leakage requiring government reporting occurred and said it had not faced competition impacts from WST. The company has also faced another controversy: Taiwanese prosecutors in December alleged its local subsidiary failed to prevent suspected TSMC trade-secret theft, highlighting enforcement pressure beyond this incident.