Taiwan chip parts supplier bets on Japan and an old pachinko parlor

Taiwan chip parts supplier bets on Japan and an old pachinko parlor Taiwan chip parts supplier bets on Japan and an old pachinko parlor

FUKUOKA, Japan — When Chen Zige was searching for a location for a new chipmaking equipment parts plant, he found an unlikely spot that met his needs: an abandoned pachinko pinball parlor in southwest Japan.

The building sits along a national highway in Arao, a city in Kumamoto prefecture. As president of Feedback Technology Japan, Chen’s goal is to convert the 2,200-sq.-meter structure into a full-fledged plant by the fall to meet demand from U.S. clients.