KDDI Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Hiromichi Matsuda, hereafter “KDDI”), SAKURA internet Inc. (Headquarters: Osaka City, Osaka; Founder, CEO & President: Kunihiro Tanaka, hereafter “SAKURA internet”), and Highreso Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Yoshiyuki Shikura, hereafter “Highreso”) concluded a basic agreement on April 11, 2025 to jointly explore ways to meet GPU demand (hereafter the “Agreement”).
Based on this Agreement, the three companies aim to build a system that flexibly meets the rapidly rising GPU demand and allows fast, stable reciprocal GPU usage.
Background
The three companies have been certified by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry for their plans to secure a supply of cloud programs as specified critical products, based on the Economic Security Promotion Act (https://www.meti.go.jp/policy/economy/economic_security/cloud/index.html). They are providing computational resources to startups, AI development companies, and other entities in Japan, and developing foundations for generative AI development.
The Agreement was concluded with the aim of building a system that can flexibly meet the growing demand for GPUs and enable fast, stable GPU usage.
An endeavor to bolster business through the Agreement
The aim of this Agreement is to meet customer needs by aspiring to promote reciprocal GPU usage and cross-promotion of customers through the business alliance, as well as contribute to the growth of the industry overall. The endeavor aims to develop a system that facilitates the reciprocal use of KDDI’s Osaka Sakai Data Center*, which will install the NVIDIA GB200 NVL72—capable of rapidly developing large-scale generative AI models with trillion parameters—alongside SAKURA internet’s “Koukaryoku” generative AI cloud services and Highreso’s “GPUSOROBAN,” one of the industry’s most cost-effective GPU cloud services. In addition, the endeavor will explore providing a platform for the reciprocal use of optimal GPUs tailored to various applications.
A system will be established that is capable of stably providing optimal, use-appropriate GPUs and flexibly responding to fluctuations in demand, in order to prepare for the growing GPU demand accompanying the increase in AI services and AI platforms.
Furthermore, providing computational resources to startups, AI development companies, and other entities in Japan will help strengthen domestic generative AI development capabilities and contribute to bolstering Japan’s industrial competitiveness.
Comments from each company
Yasuaki Kuwahara, Executive Vice President and Representative Director, Executive Director of Business Solution Sector, KDDI Corporation
KDDI offers multi-cloud, multi-LLM, and GPU services through “WAKONX,” our business platform for the AI era that advances Japan’s digitalization. The stable provision of GPUs has become crucial amid AI’s growing importance as a foundation for society. By partnering with SAKURA internet and Highreso, we can provide the optimal GPUs to numerous customers, startups, and AI development companies, and contribute to the advancement of the domestic industry and improved competitiveness.
Kunihiro Tanaka, Founder, President, and CEO, SAKURA internet Inc.
Since the dawn of the internet, SAKURA internet has been focusing on server and cloud businesses. We believe that cloud services will become even more indispensable as social infrastructure in the future. Particularly in the field of generative AI, we expect its usage to accelerate further, making the creation of an environment where Japan can continue to develop generative AI essential from the perspectives of addressing “digital deficits” and ensuring “economic security.”
With this Agreement, we will contribute to facilitating the development of foundation models for generative AI, and cooperate with various companies in addition to this endeavor to strive to advance generative AI development in Japan.
Yoshiyuki Shikura, CEO, Highreso Co., Ltd.
Highreso offers high standard of Japanese GPU cloud services with excellent cost performance through our GPU-dedicated data centers located in regional areas. As AI becomes more and more critical to societal advancement going forward, the establishment of an AI development environment is important from the standpoint of economic security.
The conclusion of this Agreement allows our company to strengthen the GPU infrastructure that supports AI development, and contribute to technological innovation and economic growth in Japan. We will continue endeavoring to enhance the AI development infrastructure that will position Japan as the country with the most economical AI computing power in the world.
KDDI Corporation
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.
https://www.kddi.com/english/
KDDI’s AI data center
In FY2025, KDDI plans to launch operations at the “Osaka Sakai Data Center,” which will be capable of rapidly developing large-scale generative AI models with trillion parameters.
In addition to utilizing the “Osaka Sakai Data Center” for developing generative AI and other AI businesses, our company will provide services to companies and other entities through “WAKONX,” a business platform for the AI era.
SAKURA internet Inc.
SAKURA internet is an internet company founded in 1996. SAKURA internet provides cloud computing services such as “SAKURA Cloud,” “SAKURA Web Hosting,” and “SAKURA VPS” from its self-operated domestic data centers. Under the corporate philosophy of “Turning ‘what you want to do’ into ‘what you can do,’ ” we develop a variety of services to meet customer needs and propose DX solutions that cater to various industries.
https://www.sakura.ad.jp/corporate/en/
“Koukaryoku” generative AI cloud services（https://www.sakura.ad.jp/koukaryoku/）
“Koukaryoku” provides cloud services for generative AI and is capable of utilizing high-performance GPUs. These services are provided from domestic data centers such as the Ishikari Data Center, which achieves zero CO2 emissions by utilizing 100% renewable energy sources. SAKURA internet is advancing these services based on the belief that ensuring the stable supply of computing resources related to generative AI is essential to fostering the development of a digital society in Japan.
Highreso Co., Ltd.
Since 2019, Highreso has been operating one of Japan’s largest GPU data centers in Shika-machi, Ishikawa, from which it provides the “GPUSOROBAN” cloud-based GPU service.
In December 2024, Highreso opened a “data center dedicated to GPU for AI development in Kagawa,” which was certified for the provision of supplies for the METI Cloud Program. The GPU data center was the first of its kind in the Chugoku and Shikoku regions. Highreso has strategic rollouts to develop new GPU data centers at closed schools in Genkai-cho, Saga and Ayagawa-cho, Kagawa. Highreso is advancing regional revitalization and the evolution of generative AI through its expanding network of local hubs.
https://highreso.jp/
GPUSOROBAN (https://soroban.highreso.jp/)
“GPUSOROBAN” is a low-price cloud platform for GPU computing offered with a simple pricing system. The use of this high-performance GPU server greatly reduces the time required for large-scale computing and graphic processing. “GPUSOROBAN” has been utilized over 2,000 times across a variety of fields, including the IT industry, manufacturing, construction, and university research institutions. The high standard of Japanese quality brings about that result.
*April 4, 2025 news release
Agreement Signed to Acquire the Land and Buildings of the Sharp Sakai Plant to Build an AI Data Center
https://newsroom.kddi.com/english/news/detail/kddi_nr-565_3853.html
*This information was accurate at the time of release. It may subsequently be subject to change without notice.
*The published company and product names are the trademarks or registered trademarks of each company.