Jensen Huang's 'Skewer Feast' Unites Japan Supply Chain, Revealing Nvidia's AI Ace

On Wednesday (15th) evening, Nvidia (NVDA-US) CEO Jensen Huang appeared in Tokyo's Kanda district, personally visiting Japan's lesser-known but critical suppliers underpinning the AI supply chain. The CEO entered a small local izakaya—a popular after-work spot for office workers—turning the narrow alley, famous for grilled skewers and stacked beer crates, into an instant stage for the AI boom.

Outside the restaurant, crowds waved smartphones, hoping to catch a glimpse of the executive affectionately nicknamed the 'Leather Jacket CEO' on social media, whose chips have become central to the global AI race.

Guests included top executives from Kioxia, a leading advanced flash memory chip manufacturer; Shin-Etsu Chemical, a world-leading silicon wafer supplier; Tokyo Electron, a major semiconductor equipment maker; and Ajinomoto, the sole supplier of key membrane materials for advanced chip packaging.

Also present were leaders from fiber-optic cable maker Sumitomo Electric and high-end capacitor giant Taiyo Yuden. Panasonic Holdings CEO Yuki Kusumi was also spotted inside the restaurant.

The gathering underscored Nvidia's extensive reliance on engineering, components, and hardware for its next-generation AI systems.

Beyond its own graphics processing units (GPUs), Nvidia depends on advanced memory, networking technology, substrates, chemical materials, and manufacturing expertise from Japan's vast industrial ecosystem.

For instance, Nitto Boseki, which supplies nearly all of the world's ultra-thin T-glass fiber fabric used to prevent chip warping, was also represented by its CEO at the Kanda meeting.

Earlier that day, Huang emphasized that the foundations of semiconductor manufacturing—from high-purity materials to equipment and packaging systems—originate in Japan.

He stated: 'Manufacturing happens globally, but the foundational technologies, chemical technologies, materials technologies, and the most fundamental base sciences—all come from Japan.'

Wearing a new leather jacket gifted by his wife, Huang braved Tokyo's sweltering heat, serving sake to executives and laughing over platters of smoking Japanese grilled pork skewers. He later stepped outside to hand out red bean buns to onlookers, delighting the crowd.

Nvidia, the world's most valuable company, sent its co-founder and spiritual leader deep into one of Tokyo's most traditional neighborhoods to personally engage with these low-key Japanese industrial champions. When Huang exchanged greetings with a local outside the izakaya, the man jokingly asked Nvidia to make its products cheaper—the two ended up shaking hands and parting amicably.

After the dinner, media asked Tokyo Electron CEO Toshiki Kawai what Huang expects from Japan's supply chain. Kawai responded briefly: 'The expectations are extremely high,' but declined to elaborate further.