KDDI Corporation and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) have announced a collaboration to launch the Osaka Sakai Data Center by early 2026, aimed at supporting startups and enterprises with cutting-edge NVIDIA AI infrastructure. The facility, located in Sakai City, Osaka, will enable the development of advanced AI applications and large language models (LLMs).
KDDI and HPE to open Osaka Sakai Data Center by early 2026.
Features NVIDIA GB200 NVL72 platform with Blackwell architecture.
Uses hybrid cooling (air and liquid) for energy efficiency.
Supports trillion-parameter generative AI models and low-latency inferencing.
KDDI’s WAKONX platform to offer cloud-based AI computing services.
HPE’s liquid cooling expertise enhances sustainability and performance.
The Osaka Sakai Data Center will deploy a rack-scale system featuring the NVIDIA GB200 NVL72 platform, built by HPE using the NVIDIA Blackwell architecture. This system, designed for large-scale AI clusters, includes NVIDIA-accelerated networking such as Quantum-2 InfiniBand, Spectrum-X Ethernet, and BlueField-3 DPUs, ensuring high-performance connectivity for diverse AI workloads. “Our collaboration with KDDI marks a pivotal milestone in supporting Japan’s AI innovation,” said Antonio Neri, president and CEO of HPE.
The facility leverages hybrid cooling technology, combining air and direct liquid cooling, to minimize environmental impact while powering high-performance AI systems. HPE’s five decades of liquid cooling expertise ensures energy efficiency, addressing the high power demands of AI infrastructure. The center is expected to host approximately 1,000 servers, making it one of Asia’s largest AI data centers.
KDDI’s WAKONX platform will offer cloud-based AI computing services, enabling organizations to develop trillion-parameter generative AI models and leverage low-latency inferencing. “HPE’s deep expertise in supercomputing and advanced cooling technologies will be instrumental,” said Hiromichi Matsuda, President and CEO of KDDI. The center will serve AI-related businesses in Japan and globally, fostering innovation across industries.
The partnership builds on KDDI’s acquisition of Sharp’s former Sakai LCD factory, repurposed for AI infrastructure with support from partners like Supermicro for liquid cooling systems. HPE’s $24.17 billion market cap and 11.79% revenue growth reflect its strong position to deliver this project. The collaboration aims to accelerate AI adoption, offering enterprises access to the NVIDIA AI Enterprise platform for faster development and deployment.
The Osaka Sakai Data Center positions KDDI and HPE as leaders in sustainable AI infrastructure, driving technological advancements and supporting global AI innovation.
HPE (NYSE: HPE) is a leader in essential enterprise technology, bringing together the power of AI, cloud, and networking to help organizations achieve more. As pioneers of possibility, our innovation and expertise advance the way people live and work. We empower our customers across industries to optimize operational performance, transform data into foresight, and maximize their impact. Unlock your boldest ambitions with HPE.
KDDI is a telecommunication service provider in Japan, offering multitude of services to individual customers through its “au”, “UQ mobile” and “povo” brands, and to corporate customers through its “KDDI BUSINESS” brand. In May 2022, KDDI had stated “KDDI VISION 2030: The creation of a society in which anyone can make their dreams a reality, by enhancing the power to connect”. Under this vision, KDDI is promoting its business strategy in the Mid-Term Management Strategy (FY2022–FY2025), defined as the “Satellite Growth Strategy”. With a focus on 5G communications, data-driven practices, and generative AI, KDDI will accelerate business growth by providing value-added services in the growth areas of DX, finance, energy, and life transformation (LX) which encompasses five areas of future growth (Mobility, Sports/Entertainment, Web3/Metaverse, Healthcare, and Space). Placing "sustainability management" at the core, KDDI will aim to achieve the sustainable growth of society and the enhancement of corporate value together with our partners, by harnessing the “Satellite Growth Strategy” and strengthening the management base.
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