Fujikura Ltd, a Japanese manufacturer has decided to expand its optical fiber and cable production in response to rising demand from AI data centers, particularly in the United States. The decision was approved at a board meeting and follows earlier agreements tied to U.S.–Japan cooperation on technology investment, including a 2025 framework agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce.
In a press release Fujikura Ltd, revealed its plans to scale up output of its Spider Web Ribbon (SWR®) and Wrapping Tube Cable (WTC®) optical cables products designed for high-density fiber deployment by as much as three times current capacity at facilities in both Japan and the U.S. The expansion will be phased, with total spending capped at 300 billion yen (US$ 2 billion), depending on market conditions.
A key part of the plan is a new manufacturing facility under construction at Fujikura’s Sakura site in Chiba Prefecture. This plant was first announced in August 2025, will focus on next-generation optical fiber and cable production and is expected to support the broader capacity increase.
The move reflects a broader industry trend since demand for fiber infrastructure is accelerating as AI systems require large-scale data centers with faster, denser interconnects. Optical fiber cables are critical for handling the bandwidth and latency requirements of these systems.
Fujikura claims the investment will not affect its current earnings forecast for the fiscal year ending March 2026. More detailed disclosures such as timelines, specific site investments, and production targets shall be released later if required.
SWR® and WTC® are Fujikura’s proprietary cable technologies designed to improve fiber density and simplify installation in large-scale network environments.