Kyndryl Expands 'Kyndryl Cloud Uplift' Availability in Japan via Microsoft Azure Data Center Regions

Kyndryl Japan announced today the full-scale availability of its cloud modernization solution, 'Kyndryl Cloud Uplift,' from Microsoft Azure data centers in Tokyo and Osaka. By utilizing these two domestic locations, Japanese enterprises can satisfy data sovereignty requirements by keeping data within the country, while advancing the modernization of mission-critical systems and ensuring high-level business continuity.

As mission-critical systems modernization progresses, data sovereignty and resilience have become key elements of cloud strategy. According to the '2025 Kyndryl Readiness Report,' 75% of leaders are concerned about geopolitical risks regarding storing and managing data in global cloud environments, and 65% have already reviewed their strategies in response to evolving data sovereignty regulations. This trend is echoed in Japan, where the 'Kyndryl Readiness Report 2025 (Japan Edition)' indicates that 74% of Japanese leaders are concerned about geopolitical risks related to cloud data.

'Kyndryl Cloud Uplift,' formerly known as Skytap, is an Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) offering that runs AIX, IBM i, Linux on IBM Power, and x86 workloads natively on Microsoft Azure. This allows companies to migrate existing workloads to Microsoft Azure with little to no modification, reducing risks and minimizing impact on operations while keeping initial investments low. It also enables the integration of Microsoft Azure native services—such as AI, machine learning, security, resilience, and DevOps—into legacy workloads. With services now available in both Tokyo and Osaka, Japanese enterprises can secure high-level business continuity while keeping data within the country.

Kyndryl provides comprehensive support for every stage of IT modernization, from strategy formulation and development to migration and system operations, leveraging Kyndryl Cloud Uplift.

Kyndryl Cloud Uplift supports global deployments and helps build cloud environments that comply with local regulations. Currently, Kyndryl Cloud Uplift is available in 15 Microsoft Azure data center regions worldwide.

Satoshi Asano, Corporate Officer, Managing Executive Officer, Enterprise Services and Partner Business at Microsoft Japan, commented: 'Microsoft Japan welcomes Kyndryl Japan's service expansion in the Japanese regions. Kyndryl Cloud Uplift makes the cloud migration of mission-critical systems that were dependent on on-premises environments more realistic and rapid. Furthermore, linking legacy applications with Microsoft Azure's rich native services can dramatically increase the value of existing assets through enhanced security, governance, performance, business continuity, data analysis, and AI utilization. We are confident that this initiative will accelerate IT infrastructure modernization in Japan and contribute to corporate growth and competitiveness.'

Kensuke Irisawa, President of Kyndryl Japan, stated: 'Our mission is to support the modernization of core systems that sustain mission-critical business and to build a secure and reliable IT environment for Japanese society. Kyndryl possesses extensive knowledge from globally deploying Power Systems modernization using Kyndryl Cloud Uplift. By making it available at two major domestic locations, we will further accelerate our customers' IT transformation and contribute to business growth.'