Japan says no damage reported at TSMC's Kumamoto factory after magnitude-7.1 quake

No damage has been reported at TSMC's semiconductor factory in Kikuyo, Kumamoto Prefecture, following a magnitude-7.1 earthquake that struck the Japanese island of Kyushu on Tuesday.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara Minoru, the government's spokesperson, said Tuesday afternoon that "there have been no reports of damage related to the Kumamoto TSMC fab," Reuters reported.

Kikuyo, where TSMC's subsidiary operates a wafer factory, recorded a lower-5 seismic intensity reading on the Japan Meteorological Agency scale — a level at which most people have difficulty moving and unsecured furniture is liable to topple.

All TSMC employees were evacuated in accordance with emergency response procedures. According to Taiwan's Central News Agency, TSMC said its Kumamoto factory operating subsidiary, JASM, evacuated all personnel from inside and outside the facility after the earthquake struck Tuesday. The condition of the evacuated employees is being confirmed.

In a statement, TSMC said it carried out the evacuation in line with emergency response procedures, adding that "securing employee safety is the top priority."