Japan expands data center development in Akita and Utsunomiya

Major data center development projects are advancing in Japan, highlighted by a massive proposal in Akita and a new selection in Utsunomiya.

In Akita, a large-scale AI data center project is underway with a reported total investment of approximately 2 trillion yen and a capacity of up to 500MW. The project has drawn interest from Mubadala Investment, a sovereign wealth fund from the UAE. The region has been designated as a Green Transformation (GX) Strategic Region by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, which aims to leverage decarbonized power sources to attract industrial clusters. While wind power is a key selling point for the project's green credentials, discussions continue regarding the stability of power infrastructure and the use of public funds.

In Utsunomiya, a corporate group including Mitsubishi Estate has been selected as the preferred negotiator for a data center project. The facility is planned for development in the area south of the Shin-Tochigi substation in Nosawa-cho, following a public call for operators to support the city's efforts to attract data center infrastructure.