The 15 firms belong to a list of 30 Japanese firms who will be paid to move factories out of China and set them up in Southeast Asian markets like Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand and Laos.

Most of these firms make medical equipment while the rest produce semiconductors, phone components, air conditioners or power modules. It was not clear if the firms will shift completely or in part from China. One of them, the Hoya Corporation, which produces hard-drive components, is expected to move to both Vietnam and Laos.

The Japanese government will give each company between nearly one million USD and 47 million USD for the move. The subsidies are part of a plan to diversify Japan's supply chains outside of China that was unveiled in April.