NTT Data in final talks to build Anthropic's first Japan data centre in Osaka

NTT Data Group is in final talks to build a data centre in Osaka for US AI firm Anthropic, its first dedicated facility in Japan. Construction costs could reach ¥1 trillion (US$6.3 billion), with partial operations slated for as early as 2028.

Japan's NTT Data Group, a unit of telecommunications giant NTT, is in the final stages of talks to build a data centre in Osaka for US AI company Anthropic, the Nikkei business daily reported on Tuesday, citing multiple sources. The facility would be Anthropic's first dedicated data centre in Japan.

Construction costs could reach up to ¥1 trillion (US$6.3 billion), according to the report. The data centre would have a power intake capacity of up to 500 megawatts, with partial operations targeted to start as early as 2028.

NTT Data and Anthropic aim to sign an agreement by the end of fiscal 2026, which ends on 31 Mar 2027. NTT Data declined to comment on the report, while the NTT Group was not immediately available for comment.

The Osaka facility would mark a significant expansion for Anthropic, which has been scaling up its computing infrastructure to support its AI models. The company, backed by major investors including Amazon, has been seeking data centre capacity in key markets across Asia.

The project underscores Japan's growing appeal as a hub for AI infrastructure, driven by government incentives and the availability of land and power. Osaka, Japan's second-largest metropolitan area, has emerged as a preferred location for large-scale data centres.