Goodman Secures 20-Year Lease for 50 MW Data Centre Phase in Tokyo

Long-Term Commitment to Tokyo's Digital Infrastructure

Goodman Group (ASX:GMG) has taken a significant step in expanding its footprint in Japan’s data centre market by signing a 20-year lease with a global hyperscale customer for the first 50 MW phase of its Tsukuba Tech Central campus in Greater Tokyo. This initial phase is part of a much larger 1 GW development, positioning Goodman as a key player in one of Asia’s most critical digital infrastructure markets.

Acquired in 2022, the 45-hectare Tsukuba site is currently under construction and is expected to be ready for service in early 2028. Goodman will not only develop but also own, fit out, and operate the facility, underscoring its long-term operational commitment in the region.

Infrastructure Designed for Efficiency and Sustainability

The campus boasts secured power arrangements with TEPCO, Japan’s largest electric utility, and features multiple exclusive dark fibre routes connecting to Greater Tokyo’s main interconnection points. This infrastructure is critical given the binding constraint of grid connection capacity in metropolitan markets, which often delays data centre projects.

Goodman’s design employs an efficient cooling system using industrial water, avoiding reliance on local groundwater. Noise is minimised through acoustically enclosed plant structures, and power is drawn from new grid infrastructure without impacting other users. Standby generators are reserved for emergencies only. The campus is also engineered to support AI and cloud workloads, including liquid-cooled deployments, with energy performance surpassing Japan’s latest efficiency standards. Goodman is actively collaborating with customers and utilities to incorporate renewable electricity supply.

Community Integration and Disaster Preparedness

Beyond its commercial ambitions, Goodman is investing in community amenities by constructing a 45,000 square metre disaster-prevention hub and public space on the campus’s southern side. Designed by award-winning Tezuka Architects, this facility includes a plaza, cafés, shops, an emergency warehouse, and a dedicated water source accessible to residents daily and available to the city during emergencies. The landscaping plan involves planting thousands of new trees, enhancing the local environment.

Paul McGarry, Goodman’s Head of Asia, emphasised the company’s long-term commitment to Tsukuba City, highlighting the use of local contractors and the creation of skilled jobs in operations and maintenance. He compared the amenity concept to Goodman’s Inzai Business Park in Chiba, where public spaces coexist alongside industrial facilities.

Growth Prospects and Regional Strategy

Securing a global hyperscale customer for the initial phase unlocks Tsukuba Tech Central’s potential as a premier data centre hub in Tokyo. Goodman is already in advanced talks with other customers for subsequent phases, suggesting further expansion on the horizon.

Japan remains a strategic market for Goodman’s Asia data centre platform, which also includes a significant presence in Hong Kong with approximately 400 MW under management. The group’s experience spans over 20 years in Japan, with over 300 MW developed at Goodman Business Park in Inzai and recent appointment as lead development partner for a campus in Sagamihara City.