KDDI Sakai Osaka: 57,000sqm AI-Ready Data Center with GB200

Status: Live / Fully Operational   |   Location: Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan

Project Overview

The KDDI Sakai AI Data Center, which reached its final operational milestone on February 23, 2026, represents a pivotal shift in Japan’s digital infrastructure strategy. Spanning 57,000 square meters in Sakai, Osaka, this facility is one of the most technologically advanced data centers in the world, specifically engineered to serve as the backbone for the next generation of generative AI and sovereign computing in Japan.

Strategic Pivot to AI and Quantum Security
As global demand for AI processing surges, KDDI has positioned the Sakai facility as an "AI-ready" hub. Unlike traditional data centers designed for general cloud storage, Sakai is optimized for high-density compute. On its official activation day, KDDI and Nokia successfully demonstrated quantum-safe optical transport capabilities within the facility. This is a critical development for industries such as pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and national defense, where data longevity and protection against future quantum-decryption threats are paramount. By integrating Nokia’s 1830 Photonic Service Switch and built-in cryptography, KDDI ensures that the massive AI workloads processed here remain secure in a post-quantum world.

Hardware and Compute Density
The heart of the Sakai Data Center is its deployment of the NVIDIA GB200 NVL72 systems. These next-generation GPU servers are designed for the most demanding AI training and inference tasks. The facility's internal architecture is built to support the extreme power and cooling requirements of these Blackwell-architecture chips. The deployment allows Japanese enterprises to develop sovereign AI models localised Large Language Models (LLMs) that do not rely on foreign-hosted infrastructure, thus keeping sensitive Japanese intellectual property within the country’s legal jurisdiction.

Sustainability and Regional Impact
Osaka has emerged as a primary alternative to Tokyo for data center concentration, providing critical geographic redundancy against seismic risks. The Sakai project leverages this strategic location while setting new standards for sustainability in the Kansai region. The facility utilizes advanced cooling technologies and is designed to integrate with Japan’s transitioning green grid. By housing 120 MW of IT load capacity at full scale, the site significantly boosts Osaka's status as a Tier 1 global data hub.

The "Make in Japan" AI Vision
The commissioning of Sakai aligns with Japan's broader goal of achieving "AI Sovereignty". By providing the infrastructure where AI is not just consumed but created, KDDI is supporting millions of Japanese developers and thousands of startups. The center acts as a magnet for high-tech talent in the region, fostering an ecosystem of AI-driven manufacturing and healthcare innovation. As the facility enters its full operational phase today, it stands as a testament to Japan’s commitment to leading the global AI infrastructure race through a combination of high-density compute, extreme security, and strategic regional development.

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