NTT East, 10 Others Form Data Center Consortium in Hokkaido

Ishikari, Hokkaido, July 28 (Jiji Press)–Eleven Japanese companies, including telecommunications giant NTT East Inc., said Tuesday that they have established a data center consortium in the city of Ishikari, Hokkaido, together with the city government. The consortium aims to revitalize the local economy in the northernmost region as a data center hub, by promoting the training of engineers and personnel exchanges required for the management of such facilities. All members of the consortium, also including Tokyu Land Corp. and cloud service provider Sakura Internet Inc., operate data centers or other facilities in Ishikari. Member companies will cooperate in tackling common business tasks, improving preparedness for disasters and developing power and communications infrastructure. At a press conference Tuesday, Ishikari Mayor Tatsuyuki Kato emphasized the region’s characteristics, saying that the city “has low risks of tsunami or other disasters” and is convenient because it neighbors Sapporo, Hokkaido’s capital. “We want to further increase Ishikari’s value and show it to the whole country,” Kato also said. Recently, data centers have been built in Ishikari and put into operation one after another. NTT ME Inc., a subsidiary of NTT East, has secured about 50,000 square meters of land in the city for 14 container-type data centers. Construction work started in June, and one unit is set to start operation next February. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]