The surge in constructing data centers (DC) in Japan persists through 2024, with 15 out of 50 surveyed companies in the DC business expressing plans for new construction or facility expansion from 2023 to 2025.
Of the 18 facilities with confirmed names and locations, 10 are slated for the Tokyo area, and 6 for the Kansai region, accounting for 90% of the total. However, there is a trend towards decentralization, with a notable project in Hokkaido and Hiroshima.
A significant development is the joint project by SoftBank and IDC Frontier for a massive DC in Tomakomai City, Hokkaido, operational by fiscal year 2026. With a total power receiving capacity of 50 megawatts (MW) and a project cost of approximately 65 billion yen, it is set to become Japan’s largest site, expanding to 700,000 square meters and surpassing 300 MW in power capacity.
Mimi Ito, IDC Japan’s Research Manager, comments on the Hokkaido DC, suggesting that the SoftBank initiative may attract more DCs, potentially leading to increased developments.
In Hiroshima Prefecture, Google-affiliated Asa Corporation is investing around 100 billion yen in a DC project at Hongo Industrial Park in Mihara City, marking a significant move in the region’s data center landscape.
