KEY POINTSSakura Internet joins the newly formed Ishikari Data Center Consortium in HokkaidoIshikari DCC links data center, power and telecom operators with Ishikari City to strengthen shared infrastructure and disaster preparednessSakura Internet has operated an Ishikari data center since 2011 and is expanding GPU infrastructure for generative AI demand
The new Ishikari DCC brings together the city, data center operators and infrastructure companies as Sakura Internet expands GPU capacity for AI demand. Photo by İsmail Enes Ayhan on Unsplash
İsmail Enes Ayhan
Sakura Internet said on July 28 it had joined the newly formed Ishikari Data Center Consortium, a group established by Ishikari City, data center operators in the Ishikari Bay New Port area, and power and telecommunications infrastructure companies.
The consortium, known as Ishikari DCC, is intended to help develop Ishikari into one of Japan’s leading data center hubs while creating a framework for sustainable growth between the local community and the data center industry. It will focus on strengthening shared infrastructure, improving data center competitiveness, building disaster-response systems, developing human resources and deepening regional cooperation.
Sakura Internet, a digital infrastructure services provider headquartered in Osaka, has operated its Ishikari Data Center in Hokkaido’s Ishikari since 2011. In recent years, it has also been developing large-scale GPU infrastructure at the site as demand for generative AI expands.
The company said data centers are becoming critical social infrastructure in Japan as the importance of domestic computing resources increases. Through its participation in Ishikari DCC, Sakura Internet plans to share expertise built up as a data center operator and strengthen cooperation with local communities and partner companies to support the Ishikari region’s sustainable development and Japan’s digital infrastructure.
Japan has been expanding domestic digital infrastructure capacity as demand rises for cloud services and AI computing. Hokkaido has attracted data center investment because of relatively low disaster risk and access to renewable energy sources, factors Sakura Internet cited for the development of the Ishikari Bay area.