Japan Plans $140B AI Push to Become Largest Compute Hub Outside US and China

Dell, Jera, and Rhaelm will build a $15 billion, 400 MW AI data center in Chiba as the starting point for a standardized model of large-scale infrastructure. Financed by Apollo, the project utilizes behind-the-meter power from an existing gas plant to bypass grid connection delays, with operations targeting a phased start in 2028 and full capacity by 2029.

The initiative is part of a strategy to establish Japan as the top AI compute hub outside the U.S. and China through an estimated $140 billion in total investment. Jera targets 3 to 4 GW of capacity over the next five years to expand from its current 1.7 GW of power consumption, far behind the U.S. at 29.2 GW and China at 8.5 GW. Japan also seeks $206 billion in public-private investment for cloud and data center infrastructure by 2035.