Market profile
Japan
For Japan the IEA expects Japanese data centre electricity use to grow by about 15 TWh between 2024 and 2030. SoftBank plans an AI data centre of over 150 MW on the former Sharp Sakai plant site in Osaka.
- Tracked project records
- 1
- Policy records
- 0
- Cloud regions
- 0
- Last checked
- 19 Oct 2026
Overview
The SoftBank and Sharp memorandum of June 2024 covers about 440,000 square metres of the former Sakai LCD plant. SoftBank planned full operation in 2025 and later growth to over 400 MW. The status after the memorandum was not rechecked, so the project is shown as announced.
Grid context
OCCTO demand forecasts include data centres, but the data centre figures could not be read from the checked document, so none are shown.
Tracked projects
| Project | Level | Stage | Operator or developer | Latest change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SoftBank AI data centre at the former Sharp Sakai plant (Osaka) | campus | Announced | SoftBank | not disclosed |
Capacity in tracked public coverage
Tracked public coverage, not a national total. Sums of reported, project-level figures from 0 of the 1 published project record we track for Japan. Each metric and each delivery class is summed on its own and never added to another. Confirmed operating capacity never includes design or ultimate capacity. Delayed projects are never counted as under construction now. Campus and phase figures are not double counted. Ranges and upper bounds are not summed. Unknown values are not counted as zero.
None of the tracked project records for Japan has a figure that can be summed yet. Figures with an unclear basis and undisclosed values are never added. Each project page lists its reported figures as published. Not disclosed is not zero.
Figures not counted (2) and why
- SoftBank AI data centre at the former Sharp Sakai plant (Osaka)
- Other at least 150 MW: Basis unclear (not stated as IT, facility, grid or thermal). Never summed.
- Other at least 400 MW: Basis unclear (not stated as IT, facility, grid or thermal). Never summed.
Method: capacity rules. Company-wide investment, area figures and third-party market estimates are never included in these sums.
Hyperscaler and AI cloud activity in Japan
1 tracked project in Japan, of which 0 involve a hyperscaler or AI cloud as owner, operator, developer or a stated or reported tenant. Part of the Asia Pacific (APAC) region on the hyperscaler and cloud hub.
Capacity, forecasts and market share: Japan
Every number is shown as published, with its basis, date and source. Figures with different bases (IT power, grid connection, electricity use) or from different sources are never added or blended. Where no figure exists we say not publicly reported. CoolPower makes no forecasts of its own.
Current capacity and pipeline
Operational, under construction and planned capacity: not publicly reported in a source we could check.
Forecasts and scenarios
| Figure | What it measures | Period or as of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| about 15 TWh Forecast | Electricity use IEA Base Case increase in Japan data centre electricity consumption (plus 80%) Source statement (paraphrased): "in Japan by around 15 TWh (up 80%)" | 2024 to 2030 (increase) | International Energy Agency (opens in a new tab) Published 10 Apr 2025. Accessed 19 Oct 2026. |
Cloud market share
Provider market share: not publicly reported. No public provider market share by country was found except mainland China (Omdia via DCD). Every other country page shows not publicly reported.
Cloud regions in Japan
A cloud region is a provider's service area. It is not a data centre campus and has no MW figure here.
No cloud regions recorded.
Policy timeline
No policy records published.
Operators and developers
- SoftBank Investor, Developer
Sources (2), last checked 19 Oct 2026
- Energy and AI: energy demand from AI (opens in a new tab), International Energy Agency, published 10 Apr 2025, accessed 19 Oct 2026
- SoftBank and Sharp MoU on a large-scale AI data center at the Sharp Sakai Plant (opens in a new tab), SoftBank Corp., published 7 Jun 2024, accessed 19 Oct 2026
Last checked 19 Oct 2026 by CoolPower Index research (automated, sourced). Report a correction.