NAGOYA – A former employee of major Japanese chemical company Asahi Kasei Corp. was arrested Thursday on suspicion of leaking confidential information on adhesives used in semiconductor manufacturing, police said.
Shoichi Furukawa, 66, is suspected of leaking the information to a Chinese firm, according to Asahi Kasei. Aichi prefectural police have not disclosed whether he has admitted to the charge.
Furukawa served as the head of a manufacturing technology department, among other roles, before leaving Asahi Kasei at the end of November 2018, police said.
A company based in Nagoya, where he later worked, consulted police in August 2024 over a separate suspected information leak he was involved in.
An analysis of items including a computer seized during a search of Furukawa’s home confirmed that he had taken trade secrets from Asahi Kasei, police said.
Furukawa is suspected of failing to return a digital storage medium containing data on the production of Novacure, a latent curing agent classified as a trade secret, around Nov. 30, 2018, and then emailing the data to a person affiliated with another company around Sept. 13, 2024.
Asahi Kasei said its own investigation confirmed that the other company was Chinese, and that Furukawa had served as plant manager and head of development for electronic materials while employed.
Novacure is a latent curing agent used in adhesives for auto parts and semiconductors.
Asahi Kasei said it is reviewing access privileges for confidential information and tightening information controls for employees planning to leave, adding, “We deeply apologize for the inconvenience and concern caused.”