Wedoany.com Report-Dec.19, AirTrunk has announced plans to develop a new hyperscale data center campus in East Osaka, Japan, designated as OSK2. The facility will provide up to 100 megawatts of IT power capacity, significantly expanding beyond the existing 20MW OSK1 site in West Osaka.

Upon completion, OSK2 will elevate AirTrunk's total platform capacity in Japan to approximately 530MW. This initiative forms part of a substantial US$8 billion (JPY1.2 trillion) investment commitment across current and upcoming projects in the country. Since establishing operations in Japan, AirTrunk has deployed around US$1.57 billion (JPY244 billion).

The expansion in Osaka supports Japan's national objectives in digital advancement, including initiatives like Society 5.0 and the Priority Plan for Digital Society, which prioritize cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure to enhance innovation and competitiveness.

Government representatives have expressed support for the project. Mr Yamada Kenji, state minister of economy, trade and industry, commented, "Japan is committed to building a robust digital foundation that accelerates innovation and strengthens our global competitiveness. Continued investments like AirTrunk's new Osaka hyperscale data centre are vital to supporting our national priorities, including Society 5.0 and the responsible adoption of AI. By partnering with leading technology companies, we are ensuring that Japan remains at the forefront of sustainable digital infrastructure and economic growth."

AirTrunk founder and CEO Robin Khuda stated that the Osaka development holds both strategic and symbolic importance. "Japan plays a pivotal role in AirTrunk's platform growth across Asia-Pacific," he said. "As Japan's cloud and AI adoption accelerates, our continued investment in Osaka and Tokyo reflects our long-term commitment to building the scalable infrastructure that underpins this transformation."

OSK2 will represent AirTrunk's 14th data center across six markets in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions. When fully developed, the company's overall platform is projected to exceed 2 gigawatts in capacity.

Recent progress includes advancements in Malaysia with the ongoing construction of a second campus in Johor (JHB2), complementing an existing platform delivering over 420MW for hyperscale customers.

In Singapore, AirTrunk obtained a S$2.25 billion (US$1.67 billion) green loan to support the planned SGP2 facility, highlighting an emphasis on environmentally responsible expansion.

In Tokyo, the company is progressing with a 300MW campus (TOK1) and has recently commissioned TOK2 to meet growing demand in the capital area.

These efforts are further supported by collaborations in the Middle East, including a US$3 billion project in Saudi Arabia announced in October.

AirTrunk's growth trajectory was bolstered by its acquisition by Blackstone and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board in a A$24 billion (US$16.1 billion) transaction, followed by a US$16 billion sustainability-linked refinancing arrangement.