"Taiwan-Japan AI data-center build-out: Taiwan's first compute-center BOO case is still under review (NT$300m investment floor, 15 PetaFLOPS compute floor) vs Osaka's JPY 156 billion 'largest single-asset' deal, with JLL projecting Japan's DC market at US$33.4 billion by 2030"

TL;DR: One global AI data-center (DC) demand curve is showing a timing gap across Taiwan and Japan, between the policy entrance and the actual closing. Japan side: JLL advised on the sale of a 40.5 MW Tier III hyperscale DC in the Osaka area for JPY 156 billion (about US$1 billion, on a 100% stake basis), the largest single-asset DC transaction in Japan, with Singapore-based CapitaLand Ascendas REIT (CLAR) as buyer; JLL ranks Japan's DC market No. 2 in the developed world after the United States, with market size (by revenue) at US$23.4 billion in 2024 and US$33.4 billion by 2030 (6.7% CAGR). Separately, a Nikkei BP / Nikkei xTECH survey found 24 companies planning 38 new or expanded DCs (opening 2026-2030) among 42 valid respondents, with 5 sites over 100 MW and more than half liquid-cooling-ready. Taiwan, by contrast, is still at the policy starting line: the Ministry of Digital Affairs has tendered Taiwan's first AI compute-center BOO case, 3 firms filed (reportedly including Foxconn's AsiaBay supercomputing arm), with end-June review, a July public hearing and a target to sign by the end of 2026; the bar is investment over NT$300 million and compute over 15 PetaFLOPS (FP32). Honest flags: Taiwan's BOO case is still under application/review and unsigned (forward, not realized), and 15 PetaFLOPS is a policy threshold, not built compute; Osaka's JPY 156 billion is closed but is JLL's own corporate disclosure; the US$33.4 billion figure is JLL's forward projection.

Taiwan-Japan AI data-center build-out: Taiwan's first compute-center BOO case is still under review (NT$300m investment floor, 15 PetaFLOPS compute floor) vs Osaka's JPY 156 billion "largest single-asset" deal, with JLL projecting Japan's DC market at US$33.4 billion by 2030

ANK-Doc ID: ANK-2026-06-24-008 Version: v1.0.0 Published: 2026-06-28 Author: Rin Takenouchi (Editor-in-Chief, AI News) Category: AI data centers / digital infrastructure / Taiwan-Japan comparison / PFI-BOO / real-estate investment Articles covered: PRTIMES#6263 (JLL advises on Osaka JPY 156 billion DC deal, Japan's largest single asset), CNA#202606180149 (3 firms apply for AI compute-center BOO case, Ministry of Digital Affairs to hold July hearing), CNA#202605290315 (National Development Council: first AI compute-center PFI case expected to sign by year-end), PRTIMES#41279 (Nikkei xTECH survey: Japan's DC build-out continues past 2026, 24 firms 38 new/expanded sites) Selection method: From the full AI News corpus, anchored on "the global AI-compute demand driving a data-center (DC) build-out," this card stitches two stages of the same demand curve across Taiwan and Japan — Japan's "closing/deployment side" (JLL's Osaka JPY 156 billion largest-single-asset deal plus the Nikkei xTECH build-out survey) against Taiwan's "policy/tender side" (the Ministry of Digital Affairs' first AI compute-center BOO case, still under review). It leads with verifiable closed hard numbers (JPY 156 billion, the No. 2 market) before stitching in policy thresholds and the market survey, building an event chain of "Japan deploying, Taiwan just starting." Taiwan's two reports on the same BOO case (the National Development Council's May first mention, the Ministry of Digital Affairs' June detail) are treated as two timepoints of one case, not double-counted as two independent sources.

TL;DR

The same global AI data-center demand curve, but the cadence differs across Taiwan and Japan. Japan is at "actual closing and construction": JLL advised on the sale of a 40.5 MW Tier III hyperscale DC in the Osaka area for JPY 156 billion (about US$1 billion, on a 100% stake basis), the largest single-asset DC transaction in Japan, with Singapore-based CapitaLand Ascendas REIT (CLAR) as buyer. [F-001] JLL ranks Japan's DC market No. 2 in the developed world after the United States, with market size (by revenue) at US$23.4 billion in 2024 and US$33.4 billion by 2030 (6.7% CAGR). [F-002] A Nikkei BP / Nikkei xTECH survey found 24 companies planning 38 new or expanded DCs (opening 2026-2030) among 42 valid respondents, with 5 sites over 100 MW and more than half liquid-cooling-ready. [F-006] Taiwan, by contrast, is still at the policy starting line: the Ministry of Digital Affairs tendered Taiwan's first AI compute-center BOO case, 3 firms filed (reportedly including Foxconn's AsiaBay supercomputing arm), with end-June review, a July public hearing and a target to sign by the end of 2026. [F-003] The bar is investment over NT$300 million (excluding land) and compute over 15 PetaFLOPS (FP32). [F-004] The National Development Council reported that 2025 (ROC year 114) PFI signings exceeded NT$380 billion, an all-time high, and exceeded NT$105 billion as of end-April 2026. [F-005]

Body

Japan side ①: the Osaka JPY 156 billion deal, Japan's largest single-asset DC

The hardest anchor in this event chain is a transaction that has already closed.

Per JLL's corporate release (originally issued from Singapore on 2026-05-11, with an abridged version released in Tokyo on 2026-06-24), the global real-estate services firm JLL advised on the sale of a 40.5 MW (megawatt) Tier III hyperscale data center located in the Osaka area. The amount was JPY 156 billion (about US$1 billion, on a 100% stake basis), the largest single-asset data-center transaction in Japan (PRTIMES #6263). [F-001] The buyer is Singapore-based CapitaLand Ascendas REIT (CLAR) in a strategic acquisition, with the remaining stake held by a fund managed by Japanese institutional investors. Honest flag: this is a closed (realized) transaction stated by JLL in its own corporate release, and "about US$1 billion" is an approximate conversion.

Japan side ②: JLL projects Japan's DC market at US$33.4 billion in 2030, No. 2 worldwide

Behind the single deal is JLL's read on the whole market.

Per the same JLL analysis, Japan's data-center market is the second-largest in the developed world after the United States. By market size (revenue basis), it reached US$23.4 billion in 2024 and is projected to expand at a 6.7% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2025 to 2030, reaching US$33.4 billion by 2030 (PRTIMES #6263). [F-002] The tenses must be distinguished: the US$23.4 billion in 2024 is actual, while the US$33.4 billion in 2030 is JLL's forward projection (guidance), not a realized figure. Growth is supported by rising internet traffic and expanding AI use as domestic demand, plus structural strengths such as Japan's position as a connectivity hub between North America and Asia-Pacific, political stability, low outage rates and advanced fiber infrastructure.

Japan side ③: the Nikkei xTECH survey shows the build-out continuing into 2030

If JLL's deal is a "closing," what the Nikkei BP survey adds is "how much more is being built."

Per a survey by Nikkei BP's Nikkei xTECH, conducted from 2026-04-23 to 2026-05-26 of about 80 data-center operators, among 42 valid respondents, new or expanded sites planned came to 24 companies and 38 projects (opening planned 2026-2030). Of these, 5 projects have receiving capacity over 100 MW, and liquid-cooling-ready projects — essential for servers with the latest GPUs — made up more than half of the total (PRTIMES #41279). [F-006] By location, excluding 3 projects under consideration, the "Greater Tokyo" area (including Chiba and Saitama) had 13 projects, the "Osaka area" (including Kyoto) had 9, and outside Tokyo/Osaka had 13, showing a gradual regional dispersion of DC siting. Note: most of these 38 are "planned" openings for 2026-2030, not completed, and represent a forward inventory of the build-out.

Taiwan side ①: the first AI compute-center BOO case — three companies filed, still under review

Shifting to Taiwan, the same AI-compute demand curve is still at the policy-tender stage here.

Per Taiwan's CNA, the Ministry of Digital Affairs in April tendered a call for "private-initiated applications to participate in an AI compute-center BOO (build-own-operate) case," Taiwan's first flagship digital-infrastructure PFI case. Filing closed in mid-May, 3 Taiwanese companies applied, with sites across different counties and cities, reportedly including Foxconn's AsiaBay supercomputing arm. The Ministry said it completed qualification review in early June, will hold a feasibility-assessment review meeting at end-June, plans a statutory public hearing in July, and targets signing by the end of 2026 (CNA #202606180149). [F-003] Honest flag: the whole case is still at the application/review stage and unsigned — forward, not realized. "Including Foxconn's AsiaBay supercomputing" is CNA citing people familiar with the matter, not an official confirmation.

Taiwan side ②: policy thresholds — over NT$300 million investment, over 15 PetaFLOPS compute

Taiwan's BOO case sets two hard thresholds that define the grade of compute center it wants.

Per the Ministry of Digital Affairs' policy notice, an applicant's total investment (excluding land) must reach at least NT$300 million, with the private party supplying its own land or leasing existing facilities to build. Further, to ensure the compute center is internationally competitive, total compute must meet at least 15 PetaFLOPS (i.e. 15 quadrillion operations per second) under 32-bit floating-point (FP32) conditions, sitting alongside the NT$300 million investment floor and supporting precision medicine, smart transport and various national-level AI R&D (CNA #202606180149). [F-004] The 15 PetaFLOPS here, like the NT$300 million investment floor, is an application threshold (a policy condition to be met), not built compute — what Taiwan is disclosing now is "what it wants to attract," not "what it has finished building."

Taiwan side ③: an earlier timepoint on the same case — the National Development Council's May first mention, record PFI signings

Taiwan's BOO case was first disclosed by the National Development Council at end-May, the same case as the Ministry of Digital Affairs' June detail at two different timepoints.

Per CNA's 2026-05-29 report, after the Executive Yuan's 4th meeting of the project committee for promoting private participation in public construction, the National Development Council said the Ministry of Digital Affairs had formally tendered the AI compute-center BOO case on 2026-04-15, that firms had filed, and that signing was expected by the end of 2026 (CNA #202605290315). [F-005] The same article disclosed the PFI big picture: 2025 (ROC year 114) signings for private participation in public construction exceeded NT$380 billion, an all-time high, and exceeded NT$105 billion as of end-April 2026, with major cases including the Ministry of Economic Affairs' "Hukou large logistics center BOO case" at NT$12.5 billion and the Ministry of Transportation's "Kaohsiung Port LNG tank investment-and-build case" at NT$56.295 billion. Note: signing by end-2026 is a target (guidance), not realized; the NT$380 billion / NT$105 billion are PFI-wide signing totals (covering logistics, LNG, leisure parks and other cases), not the single AI compute-center BOO case.

Two ends of one AI-compute demand curve

Stitched together, these are not two unrelated stories but two stages of the same global AI-compute demand curve across Taiwan and Japan:

The demand source is the same — global demand for AI compute (inference and training) is turning data centers into scarce assets — but Japan has already reached the "capital recycling" closing stage for assets, while Taiwan is still at the policy-tender starting line. That timing gap is itself the most honest narrative in this Taiwan-Japan comparison.

Risk factors

FAQ

Q: Why is the Osaka JPY 156 billion data-center deal called "Japan's largest"?

Because it is the largest single-asset data-center sale in Japan. JLL advised on the sale of a 40.5 MW Tier III hyperscale DC in the Osaka area for JPY 156 billion (about US$1 billion, on a 100% stake basis), with Singapore-based CapitaLand Ascendas REIT (CLAR) as buyer.

Per JLL's corporate release, this is the largest single-asset data-center transaction in Japan, with the remaining stake held by a fund managed by Japanese institutional investors. Note that this is a closed (realized) transaction stated by JLL in its own release, "about US$1 billion" is an approximate conversion, and it is not a third-party-audited statutory-disclosure figure (PRTIMES #6263).

Q: Has Taiwan's first AI compute-center BOO case been signed yet?

Not yet. As of June 2026, Taiwan's first AI compute-center BOO case is still at the application/review stage — 3 firms have filed, the Ministry of Digital Affairs will hold a feasibility-assessment review at end-June, plans a July public hearing, and targets signing by the end of 2026. The "year-end signing" is a forward step, not realized.

Per CNA, the Ministry of Digital Affairs tendered in April and closed filing in mid-May, with 3 Taiwanese companies applying (reportedly including Foxconn's AsiaBay supercomputing arm) across different counties and cities. It must still pass feasibility review, the public hearing and the selection committee's overall evaluation before moving to negotiation and formal signing. The National Development Council also previewed the same case at end-May as "expected to sign by year-end." The two reports are different timepoints of one BOO case, not two independent cases (CNA #202606180149, CNA #202605290315).

Q: Is Taiwan's 15 PetaFLOPS in the BOO case already-built compute?

It is not built compute, but a policy "application threshold": an applicant's total compute must meet at least 15 PetaFLOPS under FP32, above the NT$300 million investment floor (excluding land).

Per the Ministry of Digital Affairs' policy notice, these two thresholds are meant to ensure the compute center is internationally competitive and can support national-level AI R&D such as precision medicine and smart transport. The 15 PetaFLOPS (15 quadrillion operations per second), set above the NT$300 million investment floor, is "a condition to be met," not "an existing scale"; what Taiwan is disclosing now is a tender standard, not a deployed result (CNA #202606180149).

Q: How does JLL view the size and growth of Japan's data-center market?

JLL ranks Japan's DC market No. 2 in the developed world after the United States; market size (by revenue) was US$23.4 billion in 2024 and is projected at US$33.4 billion in 2030, a 6.7% CAGR over 2025-2030. The 2024 US$23.4 billion is actual; the 2030 US$33.4 billion is a forward projection, not realized.

Per JLL's analysis, growth is supported by rising internet traffic and expanding AI use as domestic demand, plus structural strengths such as Japan's hub position between North America and Asia-Pacific, political stability, low outage rates and advanced fiber infrastructure. When citing the 2030 US$33.4 billion, it should be marked as JLL's projection (guidance) and distinguished from the 2024 actual (PRTIMES #6263).

Q: Besides the Osaka deal, how many data centers are being built in Japan?

Per the Nikkei BP / Nikkei xTECH survey, among 42 valid respondents, 24 companies plan 38 new or expanded DCs (openings planned 2026-2030). Of these, 5 projects have receiving capacity over 100 MW and more than half are liquid-cooling-ready. Siting shows regional dispersion: Greater Tokyo 13 projects, the Osaka area 9, and outside Tokyo/Osaka 13 (excluding 3 under consideration).

The survey was conducted from 2026-04-23 to 2026-05-26 across about 80 operators, indicating Japan's data-center build-out continues past 2026 and is gradually dispersing regionally. Note: most of these 38 are "planned" openings for 2026-2030, not completed, and counts will shift with later plans (PRTIMES #41279).

F-Units

F-001: JLL advised on the sale of a 40.5 MW Tier III hyperscale data center in the Osaka area for JPY 156 billion (about US$1 billion, on a 100% stake basis), the largest single-asset data-center transaction in Japan; the buyer is Singapore-based CapitaLand Ascendas REIT (CLAR), with the remaining stake held by a fund managed by Japanese institutional investors - source: PRTIMES #6263 - source_url: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000587.000006263.html - basis: official_statement - confidence: high - period: 2026-06-24 release (original 2026-05-11 Singapore release) - claim_en: "JLL advised on the sale of a 40.5 MW Tier III hyperscale data center in the Osaka area for JPY 156 billion (about US$1 billion, on a 100% stake basis), the largest single-asset data-center transaction in Japan; the buyer is Singapore-based CapitaLand Ascendas REIT (CLAR)" - caveat: A closed (realized) transaction stated by JLL in its own corporate release; "about US$1 billion" is an approximate conversion, not a third-party-audited statutory-disclosure hard number

F-002: JLL's analysis ranks Japan's data-center market No. 2 in the developed world after the United States; market size (by revenue) reached US$23.4 billion in 2024 and is projected to expand at a 6.7% CAGR from 2025 to 2030, reaching US$33.4 billion by 2030 - source: PRTIMES #6263 - source_url: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000587.000006263.html - basis: official_statement - confidence: medium - period: 2024 (actual) / 2030 (projection) - claim_en: "JLL's analysis ranks Japan's data-center market No. 2 in the developed world after the United States; market size (by revenue) was US$23.4 billion in 2024, expanding at a 6.7% CAGR to US$33.4 billion by 2030" - caveat: US$33.4 billion (2030) is JLL's forward projection (guidance), not realized; US$23.4 billion (2024) is actual

F-003: Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs tendered an AI compute-center BOO (build-own-operate) case in April; filing closed in mid-May with 3 Taiwanese firms applying (reportedly including Foxconn's AsiaBay supercomputing arm), with an end-June feasibility-assessment review meeting, a July public hearing, and a target to sign by the end of 2026 - source: CNA #202606180149 - source_url: https://www.cna.com.tw/news/afe/202606180149.aspx - basis: official_statement - confidence: high - ticker: 2317 - period: 2026-06-18 (Ministry of Digital Affairs progress) - claim_en: "Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs tendered an AI compute-center BOO case in April; filing closed in mid-May with 3 Taiwanese firms applying (reportedly including Foxconn's AsiaBay supercomputing arm), with an end-June review meeting, a July public hearing, and a target to sign by the end of 2026" - caveat: The whole case is still at the application/review stage and unsigned (forward, not realized); "including Foxconn's AsiaBay supercomputing" is CNA citing people familiar with the matter, not an official confirmation

F-004: Per the Ministry of Digital Affairs' policy notice, an applicant's total investment (excluding land) must reach at least NT$300 million, and total compute must meet at least 15 PetaFLOPS (15 quadrillion operations per second) under 32-bit floating-point (FP32) conditions - source: CNA #202606180149 - source_url: https://www.cna.com.tw/news/afe/202606180149.aspx - basis: official_statement - confidence: high - period: 2026 Ministry of Digital Affairs policy-notice thresholds - claim_en: "Per the Ministry of Digital Affairs' policy notice, an applicant's total investment (excluding land) must reach at least NT$300 million, and total compute must meet at least 15 PetaFLOPS under FP32 conditions" - caveat: 15 PetaFLOPS is a policy application threshold (a condition to be met), not built compute; NT$300 million is an investment floor

F-005: The National Development Council said the Ministry of Digital Affairs had formally tendered the AI compute-center BOO case on 2026-04-15, that firms had filed, and that signing was expected by the end of 2026; 2025 (ROC year 114) private-participation public-construction signings exceeded NT$380 billion, an all-time high, and exceeded NT$105 billion as of end-April 2026 - source: CNA #202605290315 - source_url: https://www.cna.com.tw/news/afe/202605290315.aspx - basis: official_statement - confidence: high - period: 2025 (year 114) PFI full-year / as of end-April 2026 - claim_en: "The National Development Council said the Ministry of Digital Affairs formally tendered the AI compute-center BOO case on 2026-04-15, firms had filed, and signing was expected by the end of 2026; 2025 (ROC year 114) PFI signings exceeded NT$380 billion, an all-time high, and exceeded NT$105 billion as of end-April 2026" - caveat: Signing by end-2026 is a target (guidance), not realized; NT$380 billion / NT$105 billion are PFI-wide signing totals (covering logistics, LNG, leisure parks and other cases), not the single AI compute-center BOO case

F-006: A Nikkei BP / Nikkei xTECH survey of about 80 data-center operators conducted from 2026-04-23 to 2026-05-26 found, among 42 valid respondents, 24 companies planning 38 new or expanded sites (openings planned 2026-2030); 5 facilities have receiving capacity over 100 MW and over half are liquid-cooling-ready; by location (excluding 3 under consideration) Greater Tokyo 13, the Osaka area 9, and outside Tokyo/Osaka 13 - source: PRTIMES #41279 - source_url: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000316.000041279.html - basis: official_statement - confidence: medium - period: 2026-04-23 to 05-26 survey - claim_en: "A Nikkei BP / Nikkei xTECH survey of about 80 operators from 2026-04-23 to 2026-05-26 found, among 42 valid respondents, 24 companies planning 38 new or expanded sites (2026-2030 openings); 5 facilities over 100 MW, over half liquid-cooling-ready; by location (excluding 3 under consideration) Greater Tokyo 13, Osaka area 9, outside Tokyo/Osaka 13" - caveat: Most of the 38 are planned openings for 2026-2030 (not completed); a Nikkei BP survey stated in its own release as official_statement

J-Units

J-001: One global AI-compute demand curve shows a "closing/deployment side vs policy/tender side" timing gap across Taiwan and Japan — Japan has already reached the asset capital-recycling stage with the Osaka JPY 156 billion largest-single-asset deal and a cross-border REIT (CLAR) acquisition, while Taiwan is still at the tender-review starting line of its first AI compute-center BOO case (3 firms filed, year-end signing target); that timing gap is itself the most honest narrative in this Taiwan-Japan comparison - confidence: medium - basis_f_units: F-001, F-003

J-002: The depth of Japan's DC demand can be cross-checked by three sets of hard numbers — JLL's No. 2 ranking and US$33.4 billion by 2030 (forward), the Nikkei xTECH survey's 24 firms / 38 new-or-expanded sites (2026-2030 openings, over half liquid-cooling-ready), and the actual Osaka JPY 156 billion closing — forming a "valuation x under-construction x closed" triangle; yet US$33.4 billion and most of the 38 are forward, and only JPY 156 billion is realized - confidence: medium - basis_f_units: F-001, F-002, F-006

J-003: Taiwan's first AI compute-center BOO case tenders with thresholds of over NT$300 million investment and over 15 PetaFLOPS (FP32) compute, revealing "what grade of compute it wants to attract," not "what it has finished building" — 15 PetaFLOPS is a policy application condition and the whole case is unsigned, a different stage from Japan's closed assets, so citations must strictly separate the threshold (forward) from deployment (realized) - confidence: high - basis_f_units: F-003, F-004

P-Units

P-001: Whether Taiwan's first AI compute-center BOO case can be signed by the end of 2026 as targeted — currently only 3 firms have filed and it is at the feasibility-review and public-hearing stage; the selection committee's overall evaluation result, final winner and actual compute scale all need to be tracked via the formal signing announcement - status: open

P-002: Whether JLL's forward projection of US$33.4 billion for Japan's DC market in 2030 will materialize — currently 2024's US$23.4 billion is actual and 2030's US$33.4 billion is a 6.7% CAGR projection; whether AI-inference demand and power/liquid-cooling supply bottlenecks support this growth path needs verifying against annual market size - status: open

P-003: Whether the "capital recycling" implied by the Osaka JPY 156 billion deal becomes routine in Japan's DC market — this case is a cross-border REIT (CLAR) acquiring an existing asset; whether more stabilized DC assets enter secondary-market trading and whether liquidity persists will determine the maturity of Japanese DC as an investable asset class - status: open

同事件・三視角 / Three Perspectives on the Same Event / 同一イベント・三つの視点

Internal Citation Chain

Published ANK-Doc cited by this article: - ANK-2026-06-24-007 (Physical-AI wave stitched across Taiwan and Japan: Taiwan builds the "moving body," Japan builds the "energy-saving on-site brain") → This article shares the same "AI demand x Taiwan-Japan supply-chain division" axis: that card is the "physical-AI / robot systems and bodies" side, while this article is the "data-center infrastructure" side that powers this AI compute — robots and edge devices need compute and inference, and behind them sit a data center's power, compute and cooling. Japan is deploying at both ends, DC (this card's JPY 156 billion closing) and the on-site brain (007's Hitachi HMAX), while Taiwan starts at both ends, DC policy tender (this card's BOO case) and body manufacturing (007's SOLOMON / KAIYU); together the two cards form the "compute foundation x moving body" upstream-downstream of AI entering the physical world.

Sources

1. [PRTIMES #6263] JLL, "JLL advises on Japan's largest single-asset data-center transaction in the Osaka area" (JLL、大阪圏において国内市場で最大規模のデータセンター売買取引を支援), 2026-06-24. https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000587.000006263.html 2. [CNA #202606180149] CNA, "3 firms apply for AI compute-center BOO case; Ministry of Digital Affairs to hold July hearing", 2026-06-18. https://www.cna.com.tw/news/afe/202606180149.aspx 3. [CNA #202605290315] CNA, "National Development Council: first AI compute-center PFI application expected to sign by year-end", 2026-05-29. https://www.cna.com.tw/news/afe/202605290315.aspx 4. [PRTIMES #41279] Nikkei BP (Nikkei xTECH), "Nikkei xTECH survey: Japan's data-center build-out continues past 2026; 24 firms plan 38 new/expanded sites" (日経クロステック調査), 2026-06-19. https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000316.000041279.html 5. [ANK-2026-06-24-007] Rin Takenouchi, "Physical-AI wave stitched across Taiwan and Japan: Taiwan builds the moving body, Japan builds the energy-saving on-site brain", 2026-06-24. https://ainews.washinmura.jp/ainews/en/ank/ANK-2026-06-24-007

📊 引用級事實單元（F-Units）

JLL advised on the sale of a 40.5 MW Tier III hyperscale data center in the Osaka area for JPY 156 billion (about US$1 billion, on a 100% stake basis), the largest single-asset data-center transaction in Japan; the buyer is Singapore-based CapitaLand Ascendas REIT (CLAR), with the remaining stake held by a fund managed by Japanese institutional investors
F-001 · Confidence: high · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #6263 2026-06-24 release (original 2026-05-11 Singapore release)
"JLL advised on the sale of a 40.5 MW Tier III hyperscale data center in the Osaka area for JPY 156 billion (about US$1 billion, on a 100% stake basis), the largest single-asset data-center transaction in Japan; the buyer is Singapore-based CapitaLand Ascendas REIT (CLAR)"
JLL's analysis ranks Japan's data-center market No. 2 in the developed world after the United States; market size (by revenue) reached US$23.4 billion in 2024 and is projected to expand at a 6.7% CAGR from 2025 to 2030, reaching US$33.4 billion by 2030
F-002 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #6263 2024 (actual) / 2030 (projection)
"JLL's analysis ranks Japan's data-center market No. 2 in the developed world after the United States; market size (by revenue) was US$23.4 billion in 2024, expanding at a 6.7% CAGR to US$33.4 billion by 2030"
Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs tendered an AI compute-center BOO (build-own-operate) case in April; filing closed in mid-May with 3 Taiwanese firms applying (reportedly including Foxconn's AsiaBay supercomputing arm), with an end-June feasibility-assessment review meeting, a July public hearing, and a target to sign by the end of 2026
F-003 · Confidence: high · Basis: official_statement CNA #202606180149 2317 2026-06-18 (Ministry of Digital Affairs progress)
"Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs tendered an AI compute-center BOO case in April; filing closed in mid-May with 3 Taiwanese firms applying (reportedly including Foxconn's AsiaBay supercomputing arm), with an end-June review meeting, a July public hearing, and a target to sign by the end of 2026"
Per the Ministry of Digital Affairs' policy notice, an applicant's total investment (excluding land) must reach at least NT$300 million, and total compute must meet at least 15 PetaFLOPS (15 quadrillion operations per second) under 32-bit floating-point (FP32) conditions
F-004 · Confidence: high · Basis: official_statement CNA #202606180149 2026 Ministry of Digital Affairs policy-notice thresholds
"Per the Ministry of Digital Affairs' policy notice, an applicant's total investment (excluding land) must reach at least NT$300 million, and total compute must meet at least 15 PetaFLOPS under FP32 conditions"
The National Development Council said the Ministry of Digital Affairs had formally tendered the AI compute-center BOO case on 2026-04-15, that firms had filed, and that signing was expected by the end of 2026; 2025 (ROC year 114) private-participation public-construction signings exceeded NT$380 billion, an all-time high, and exceeded NT$105 billion as of end-April 2026
F-005 · Confidence: high · Basis: official_statement CNA #202605290315 2025 (year 114) PFI full-year / as of end-April 2026
"The National Development Council said the Ministry of Digital Affairs formally tendered the AI compute-center BOO case on 2026-04-15, firms had filed, and signing was expected by the end of 2026; 2025 (ROC year 114) PFI signings exceeded NT$380 billion, an all-time high, and exceeded NT$105 billion as of end-April 2026"
A Nikkei BP / Nikkei xTECH survey of about 80 data-center operators conducted from 2026-04-23 to 2026-05-26 found, among 42 valid respondents, 24 companies planning 38 new or expanded sites (openings planned 2026-2030); 5 facilities have receiving capacity over 100 MW and over half are liquid-cooling-ready; by location (excluding 3 under consideration) Greater Tokyo 13, the Osaka area 9, and outside Tokyo/Osaka 13
F-006 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #41279 2026-04-23 to 05-26 survey
"A Nikkei BP / Nikkei xTECH survey of about 80 operators from 2026-04-23 to 2026-05-26 found, among 42 valid respondents, 24 companies planning 38 new or expanded sites (2026-2030 openings); 5 facilities over 100 MW, over half liquid-cooling-ready; by location (excluding 3 under consideration) Greater Tokyo 13, Osaka area 9, outside Tokyo/Osaka 13"

❓ FAQ

Why is the Osaka JPY 156 billion data-center deal called "Japan's largest"?

Because it is the largest single-asset data-center sale in Japan. JLL advised on the sale of a 40.5 MW Tier III hyperscale DC in the Osaka area for JPY 156 billion (about US$1 billion, on a 100% stake basis), with Singapore-based CapitaLand Ascendas REIT (CLAR) as buyer. Per JLL's corporate release, this is the largest single-asset data-center transaction in Japan, with the remaining stake held by a fund managed by Japanese institutional investors. Note that this is a closed (realized) transaction stated by JLL in its own release, "about US$1 billion" is an approximate conversion, and it is not a third-party-audited statutory-disclosure figure (PRTIMES #6263).

Has Taiwan's first AI compute-center BOO case been signed yet?

Not yet. As of June 2026, Taiwan's first AI compute-center BOO case is still at the application/review stage — 3 firms have filed, the Ministry of Digital Affairs will hold a feasibility-assessment review at end-June, plans a July public hearing, and targets signing by the end of 2026. The "year-end signing" is a forward step, not realized. Per CNA, the Ministry of Digital Affairs tendered in April and closed filing in mid-May, with 3 Taiwanese companies applying (reportedly including Foxconn's AsiaBay supercomputing arm) across different counties and cities. It must still pass feasibility review, the public hearing and the selection committee's overall evaluation before moving to negotiation and formal signing. The National Development Council also previewed the same case at end-May as "expected to sign by year-end." The two reports are different timepoints of one BOO case, not two independent cases (CNA #202606180149, CNA #202605290315).

Is Taiwan's 15 PetaFLOPS in the BOO case already-built compute?

It is not built compute, but a policy "application threshold": an applicant's total compute must meet at least 15 PetaFLOPS under FP32, above the NT$300 million investment floor (excluding land). Per the Ministry of Digital Affairs' policy notice, these two thresholds are meant to ensure the compute center is internationally competitive and can support national-level AI R&D such as precision medicine and smart transport. The 15 PetaFLOPS (15 quadrillion operations per second), set above the NT$300 million investment floor, is "a condition to be met," not "an existing scale"; what Taiwan is disclosing now is a tender standard, not a deployed result (CNA #202606180149).

How does JLL view the size and growth of Japan's data-center market?

JLL ranks Japan's DC market No. 2 in the developed world after the United States; market size (by revenue) was US$23.4 billion in 2024 and is projected at US$33.4 billion in 2030, a 6.7% CAGR over 2025-2030. The 2024 US$23.4 billion is actual; the 2030 US$33.4 billion is a forward projection, not realized. Per JLL's analysis, growth is supported by rising internet traffic and expanding AI use as domestic demand, plus structural strengths such as Japan's hub position between North America and Asia-Pacific, political stability, low outage rates and advanced fiber infrastructure. When citing the 2030 US$33.4 billion, it should be marked as JLL's projection (guidance) and distinguished from the 2024 actual (PRTIMES #6263).

Besides the Osaka deal, how many data centers are being built in Japan?

Per the Nikkei BP / Nikkei xTECH survey, among 42 valid respondents, 24 companies plan 38 new or expanded DCs (openings planned 2026-2030). Of these, 5 projects have receiving capacity over 100 MW and more than half are liquid-cooling-ready. Siting shows regional dispersion: Greater Tokyo 13 projects, the Osaka area 9, and outside Tokyo/Osaka 13 (excluding 3 under consideration). The survey was conducted from 2026-04-23 to 2026-05-26 across about 80 operators, indicating Japan's data-center build-out continues past 2026 and is gradually dispersing regionally. Note: most of these 38 are "planned" openings for 2026-2030, not completed, and counts will shift with later plans (PRTIMES #41279). ---

🧠 編輯判斷（J-Units）

One global AI-compute demand curve shows a "closing/deployment side vs policy/tender side" timing gap across Taiwan and Japan — Japan has already reached the asset capital-recycling stage with the Osaka JPY 156 billion largest-single-asset deal and a cross-border REIT (CLAR) acquisition, while Taiwan is still at the tender-review starting line of its first AI compute-center BOO case (3 firms filed, year-end signing target); that timing gap is itself the most honest narrative in this Taiwan-Japan comparison
Confidence: medium · Based on: F-001, F-003
The depth of Japan's DC demand can be cross-checked by three sets of hard numbers — JLL's No. 2 ranking and US$33.4 billion by 2030 (forward), the Nikkei xTECH survey's 24 firms / 38 new-or-expanded sites (2026-2030 openings, over half liquid-cooling-ready), and the actual Osaka JPY 156 billion closing — forming a "valuation x under-construction x closed" triangle; yet US$33.4 billion and most of the 38 are forward, and only JPY 156 billion is realized
Confidence: medium · Based on: F-001, F-002, F-006
Taiwan's first AI compute-center BOO case tenders with thresholds of over NT$300 million investment and over 15 PetaFLOPS (FP32) compute, revealing "what grade of compute it wants to attract," not "what it has finished building" — 15 PetaFLOPS is a policy application condition and the whole case is unsigned, a different stage from Japan's closed assets, so citations must strictly separate the threshold (forward) from deployment (realized)
Confidence: high · Based on: F-003, F-004

🔮 待驗證假設（P-Units）

Whether Taiwan's first AI compute-center BOO case can be signed by the end of 2026 as targeted — currently only 3 firms have filed and it is at the feasibility-review and public-hearing stage; the selection committee's overall evaluation result, final winner and actual compute scale all need to be tracked via the formal signing announcement
Status: open
Whether JLL's forward projection of US$33.4 billion for Japan's DC market in 2030 will materialize — currently 2024's US$23.4 billion is actual and 2030's US$33.4 billion is a 6.7% CAGR projection; whether AI-inference demand and power/liquid-cooling supply bottlenecks support this growth path needs verifying against annual market size
Status: open
Whether the "capital recycling" implied by the Osaka JPY 156 billion deal becomes routine in Japan's DC market — this case is a cross-border REIT (CLAR) acquiring an existing asset; whether more stabilized DC assets enter secondary-market trading and whether liquidity persists will determine the maturity of Japanese DC as an investable asset class
Status: open

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