Key facts
- Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang visited Japan to forge deals in AI, robotics, and chip supply.
- Japan is launching "Noetra," a sovereign AI initiative with a 1 trillion yen ($6.2 billion) commitment over five years.
- Nvidia will build a large data center in Japan, featuring next-generation chips, for the "Vera Rubin AI factory."
- Key Japanese industrial giants like Fanuc, Yaskawa, and Toyota are partnering with Nvidia on AI models and platforms.
- Japan aims to capture over 30% of the global AI robotics market by 2040.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang concluded a two-day visit to Japan, securing significant deals aimed at developing the country's "physical AI" capabilities. The agreements span a national AI factory, partnerships with leading robotics firms, and collaborations with chip-material suppliers.
Huang's visit, following similar trips to Taiwan and South Korea, signals Nvidia's strategic focus on integrating AI into Japan's industrial sector, particularly its factory floors, robots, and machines. This initiative aims to leverage Japan's manufacturing prowess for the burgeoning physical AI era.
A key outcome is Japan's "Noetra" initiative, a sovereign AI play backed by approximately 44 domestic firms, including SoftBank, Sony, NEC, and Honda. The government is committing up to 1 trillion yen ($6.2 billion) over five years to develop homegrown foundation models for machines. Nvidia will support this by building a massive data center, the "Vera Rubin AI factory," equipped with its next-generation chips, expected to be operational in 2028.
Noetra's plan involves three stages: a Japanese-language focused reasoning model by fiscal 2026, an omni-modal version by 2028, and "Real-world Native AI" for robots by 2030. Nvidia's contribution includes the "Vera Rubin AI factory" with 13,750 Vera CPUs and 27,500 Rubin GPUs, capable of delivering 140 megawatts.
Furthermore, Nvidia is fostering a robotics coalition, with major players like Fanuc, Yaskawa, Kawasaki Heavy, Fujitsu, Hitachi, NEC, Sony, SoftBank, Kubota, and AIRoA committing to build on Nvidia's Cosmos models. Nvidia unveiled Cosmos 3 Edge, a version of the model designed to run on its Jetson Thor chips within machines, encouraging shared control systems and tool development.
Toyota is deepening its use of Nvidia chips, extending beyond its vehicles to manufacturing processes and traffic systems. The company is integrating Nvidia's Drive platform for advanced driver assistance systems.
Japan's broader strategy, outlined in its AI Robotics Strategy, aims to capture over 30% of the global AI robotics market by 2040, valued at approximately ¥20 trillion ($133 billion). The country seeks to deploy 10 million AI-equipped robots across 18 sectors by 2040, supported by $65 billion in investment. This push for industrial independence is underpinned by a desire for control over its own data and compute infrastructure, reducing reliance on foreign technology while still depending on American chips for now.
Huang met with top executives from major Japanese tech companies, including Toyota, Fanuc, Yaskawa, Fujitsu, and Kawasaki, mirroring his recent engagement strategies in Taiwan and South Korea.