Japan eyes support for light-based networks to expand data centres

The government will provide aid for fast, energy-saving optical technology.

Support for high-speed and light-based communications technology is being eyed by the Japanese government to help build more data centres outside of big cities in the country.

In a report from Nikkei Asia, Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry are set to discuss the proposal as the aid is expected to begin as early as 2025.

The communications ministry wants to promote photonics-electronics convergence, which lets data be processed and sent as light instead of electrical signals. Such technology can carry huge amounts of data while using less power than conventional electronics.

With Japanese firms holding significant expertise in optical technology, telecom giant Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) expects its Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) to reduce latency to 1/200th of the current level and cut energy consumption to 1/100th by around 2030.

Nikkei said that the high-speed capabilities of light-based communications could enable data centres to be built outside of urban areas, which have greater limits on land and other constraints. Decentralizing these facilities would also mitigate risks posed by disasters that could disrupt geographically concentrated data hubs.

Japan’s government is looking to promote the development of more data centres on the country’s northern island of Hokkaido, which has abundant renewable energy resources.