Asia Pacific Holdings (APL), a U.S.-based investment firm, has announced a ¥300 billion ($2 billion) investment to construct a state-of-the-art data center complex in Itoshima City, Fukuoka Prefecture. Once completed, this will be Kyushu’s largest data center cluster, reinforcing the region’s growing role in Japan’s digital economy, which is projected to reach ¥17 trillion annually by 2025, according to Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
“We aim to build Fukuoka prefecture into a third data center hub after Tokyo and Osaka,” said Yoshinobu Takahara, president of APL Group Japan, who met with Fukuoka prefecture Gov. Seitaro Hattori on December 5, 2024.
The 122,000-square-meter facility, located near the Maebaru Interchange, will host six data centers. Construction begins in spring 2025, with phased operations starting in 2029 and full completion by 2034. This project follows APL’s earlier success in Kitakyushu and aims to position Fukuoka alongside Tokyo and Osaka as a data infrastructure hub. Governor Hattori emphasized that the project will drive advancements in artificial intelligence and other technologies, sectors expected to reach a combined market size of ¥10 trillion in Japan by 2030.
Energy Efficiency and Regional Growth
Kyushu’s data center industry is growing rapidly, with Japan’s overall data center market expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.7% between 2023 and 2028. This project will prioritize energy-efficient operations to accommodate rising energy demands from both the data and semiconductor industries, which are core to Kyushu’s regional economy. Stable power supply and innovative cooling technologies are expected to play a key role in ensuring project success.
APL’s investment not only cements Fukuoka’s position as a strategic digital infrastructure hub but also promises significant economic benefits, including job creation and increased regional revenue. As Japan’s demand for digital services surges, Fukuoka is set to become a critical node in the nation’s data infrastructure landscape.
