Does anybody know, if this new company will also need a MMP license? Or do the settlements of Fujitsu and NEC of the past also fit the licenses for this new company?

Fujitsu, NTT Docomo and NEC Corp launched a new company today aimed at smartphone chip manufacture.

Reuters reports that the company has been established in order to loosen the ties and dependency that Japanese firms currently have on foreign firms -- and take mobile chip development and manufacture into their own hands.

Naturally, such a move will pit the new chip maker, called Access Network Technology Ltd, against Qualcomm -- which is currently the world's largest chip manufacturer. The company is also the main supplier of core, necessary microchips that are used in smartphones and tablets used by firms including Apple and Samsung.

Fujitsu will own 52.8 percent. Originally, the technology conglomerate planned to set up the new chip-making company on its own -- before collaborating with NTT Docomo and NEC. NTT Docomo will own 19.9 percent, and NTT will acquire 17.8 percent, The remaining 9.5 percent will be held by Fujitsu Semiconductor Ltd.

By 2014, Access Network Technology aims to hold 7 percent of the global market share in smartphone chip manufacture, according to Fujitsu. However, the company will not only develop smartphone chips -- it also will be involved in high-speed Long-Term Evolution (LTE) network product research and next generation technology for networks.

Last year, the three companies involved and Panasonic were on the crux of securing a partnership with Samsung to manufacture their own chips. However, after failing to agree on the terms of the partnership, the agreement was called off this April.

By taking chip manufacture into their own hands, the companies involved in Access Network Technology will be able to side-step issues of supply uncertainty. Earlier this year, Qualcomm warned it was having trouble coping with demand due to shortfall problems with one of their Taiwanese manufacturers.