NTT Data Group is finalizing a $6.3 billion agreement to build a data center for Anthropic in Osaka Prefecture, Western Japan, according to a Nikkei Asia report citing multiple unnamed sources. Neither company commented on the report.

The facility would carry up to 500MW of capacity (roughly the draw of a mid-sized city's peak demand, for scale). Partial operations are slated to begin in 2028. The companies aim to finalize the agreement by the end of fiscal year 2026.

The site would be Anthropic's first dedicated facility in Japan. That detail matters. Almost everything Anthropic has built or leased so far sits in the United States, so an Osaka commitment marks a geographic shift.

How much compute has Anthropic already locked in?

The report fits a pattern of aggressive capacity accumulation. Since October last year, Anthropic has signed agreements for at least 14.8GW of compute capacity (a gigawatt equals 1,000 megawatts) that it will access over the next few years.

The agreements span both data center facilities and cloud capacity. Named counterparties include:

• Akamai
• Amazon Web Services
• CoreWeave
• Fluidstack, under a $50bn partnership
• SpaceX/xAI
• Google Cloud
• Lambda
• Volta Infra
• AMD
• Microsoft

A large portion of the associated data center projects remains US-based. The Australian Financial Review previously reported that Anthropic is in talks with local companies in Australia as well.

What is not in the report?

Key terms are absent. The report does not specify the split between NTT Data's capital commitment and Anthropic's, the lease duration, or whether NTT would operate the facility outright. The 500MW figure is stated as an upper bound. Partial operations in 2028 leaves the timeline for full capacity undefined.

The sources are unnamed. Nikkei Asia attributed the entire claim to people it did not identify, and both companies declined to comment. Treat the figure as preliminary until a signed agreement is announced.

The reported deadline — end of fiscal year 2026 — leaves roughly a year or more for terms to change. Deals of this size frequently do.

Who is NTT Data Group?

NTT Data Group operates more than 150 data centers across more than 20 countries and regions, according to its website. In Japan specifically, the company runs facilities in Tokyo (TKY11) and Osaka (OSK11 and OSK12).

The Osaka footprint suggests existing land, power relationships, and construction experience in the prefecture. That may explain Anthropic's choice of partner. The report does not confirm whether the new facility would sit adjacent to the existing OSK sites.

What about Anthropic's IPO?

Anthropic confidentially filed for an Initial Public Offering with the US Securities and Exchange Commission this June. Details were sparse, and the company has provided no further updates.

A $6.3 billion infrastructure commitment would give prospective investors a concrete asset story. But confidentiality cuts both ways. Without disclosure documents, the reported data center cannot be verified against Anthropic's own capital plans.

The bottom line

If finalized, the deal would anchor Anthropic's first dedicated Japanese facility with NTT Data as builder and likely operator. The 500MW capacity, 2028 start, and fiscal 2026 signing target are the numbers to watch. Each remains unconfirmed by either company, and each carries a caveat until contracts are signed.

By Priya Raman