A 1984 law enabled semiconductor makers to engage in joint research.

"There are not a lot of semiconductor makers that understand the new era."

Rohm, a semiconductor maker, is up 50 percent this year, for example.

This growth comes despite a lack of business from Intel, the world's largest semiconductor maker.

The recession of the early 1990's in Japan slowed down that nation's semiconductor makers.

The difference may seem small to outsiders, but not to semiconductor makers.

In recent years, the Japanese semiconductor makers have entered the market.

In the last three months of 1992, foreign semiconductor makers held 20.2 percent of the Japanese market.

Many experts say Japanese semiconductor makers are doing just that.

Pricing is being left to each of the six semiconductor makers.