【Nikkei XTECH Survey】Data Center Construction Boom to Continue in Japan Beyond 2026, with 38 Planned New and Expanded Facilities by 24 Companies — Regional Dispersion Also Emerging

Construction of data centers (DCs) in Japan is set to remain intense beyond 2026, according to a survey conducted by Nikkei BP Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Tetsuya Iguchi), through its technology-focused media platform, Nikkei XTECH.

Nikkei XTECH conducted the survey between April 23 and May 26, 2026, targeting approximately 80 companies involved in DC operations. Of the 42 companies that provided valid responses, 24 reported plans for 38 new or expanded facilities between 2026 and 2030. Excluding three still under consideration, data center locations break down as follows: 13 in the Tokyo metropolitan area (including Chiba and Saitama prefectures), 9 in the Osaka metropolitan area (including Kyoto Prefecture), and 13 in regions outside Tokyo and Osaka—indicating the gradual start of regional dispersion.

The survey also collected information on planned facilities’ floor area, power reception capacity, cooling performance, liquid cooling systems, and floor load capacity. Five facilities are designed with power reception capacity exceeding 100 megawatts (MW). Facilities supporting liquid cooling—essential for servers equipped with the latest GPUs (graphics processing semiconductors)—account for more than half of all planned projects. There is also a trend toward reinforcing floor load capacity in tandem with liquid cooling adoption.

Nikkei BP’s business magazine Nikkei Business and Nikkei XTECH have jointly launched a special feature analyzing the massive economic ecosystem driven by AI data centers, with detailed survey results published in this feature.

The chart above represents part of the survey findings. For more detailed results, please refer to the Nikkei Business issue dated June 15, 2026, and the Nikkei XTECH article. (https://xtech.nikkei.com/atcl/nxt/column/18/03615/060300003/)

About Nikkei XTECH

Nikkei XTECH (https://xtech.nikkei.com/) is a technology-focused digital media platform targeting engineers and business leaders across diverse industries such as IT, automotive, electronics and machinery, and civil engineering and construction. It delivers the latest trends in technologies like AI and DX (Digital Transformation), autonomous driving, digital manufacturing, and new materials transforming buildings and vehicles, along with insights into the forefront of business transformation driven by these innovations.

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