The Kitakyushu City Council received APL's application to clear the site for the future data center last week.

Construction is expected to begin within four years. The new data center will consume 120 MW of electricity, making it one of the largest power consumers on Japan's Kyushu island.

The facility will be Kitakyushu's second data center, following the site that opened in 2007.

The southern Japanese city known for its steel mills set out to become a “backup Tokyo” earlier this year, aiming to attract the companies, data centers and government agencies currently crowding the Tokyo metropolitan area.

Located at the northern tip of Kyushu Island, near the junction of undersea and onshore communication cables, as well as the area's renewable energy potential are plus points for APL to "put money" here.

The U.S. company has investments in commercial facilities and renewable energy, but this is its first investment in the data center sector. APL’s Japanese unit said it is considering whether to operate the facility itself or outsource management of the database.

The planned site, covering about 63,000 square meters, is located within the Kitakyushu Science and Research Park, a cluster of academic research facilities, according to the city.

(According to Nikkei Asia)