Blackstone to invest $30bn in Japan AI data centers, president says
In an interview with Nikkei Asia, Blackstone president Jonathan Gray said the firm will invest $30 billion in AI data centers in Japan over the next five years. The bulk of the investment will fund hyperscale facilities in Osaka and Chiba and will include expansion of the local electricity grid.
In the interview published Tuesday, Gray said the investment plan aims to cement Japan's position on the global AI data center map. Blackstone is already among the largest data center owners in Asia through its ownership of QTS Data Centers' facility in Yokohama.
The first phase will deploy $12 billion at a 600-megawatt facility in Suminoe, Osaka. The site is being purpose-built for Microsoft Azure and OpenAI. The investment is directly tied to a power supply agreement with Kansai Electric Power. Gray said, « Japan's stable power grid and skilled workforce make it one of the most attractive markets in Asia. »
SoftBank is converting an old Sharp facility in the same region into AI servers; these parallel investments are expected to lift Japan's hyperscale data center capacity to 8 gigawatts by 2030. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry confirmed that re-allocatable industrial land had been earmarked for Blackstone's project. Kansai Electric shares rose 4.2% on the Tokyo exchange.
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