Oracle, SoftBank to launch Japan sovereign cloud, AI
Oracle and SoftBank are expanding their collaboration to deliver sovereign cloud and AI services designed for Japanese enterprises, addressing rising requirements for data residency, security, and regulatory compliance.
SoftBank’s Cloud PF Type A on Oracle Alloy
SoftBank’s upcoming Cloud PF Type A—its proprietary cloud and AI platform—will be built on Oracle Alloy for the Japan market. The companies plan a phased rollout of AI capabilities over the next several years to support the country’s digital transformation. Oracle Alloy will provide SoftBank access to more than 200 cloud and AI services, operated within SoftBank’s domestic data centers.
Deployment Footprint and Timeline
SoftBank intends to deploy the platform across its eastern and western Japan facilities, enabling customers to run sensitive workloads while maintaining strict control over data location and governance.
Rollout timeline
- Eastern Japan: services go live in April 2026
- Western Japan: services go live in October 2026
Security and Key Management
To strengthen protections, SoftBank will pair an Oracle service for centrally managing encryption keys with its own key management technology. The combined approach is designed to enhance customer control over cryptographic keys and reinforce defences against unauthorized data access.
Executive Perspectives
SoftBank executive vice president Hayato Sakurai said the collaboration will deliver a high-security cloud platform aligned to the company’s data center standards and equipped with technologies such as generative AI and high-performance GPUs, helping customers innovate and remain competitive.
Oracle Japan president Toshimitsu Misawa characterized the initiative as a milestone that will allow AI workloads to run more quickly, securely, and efficiently.
Broader Collaboration
The Japan initiative builds on the growing Oracle–SoftBank relationship. In the U.S., the companies are working with OpenAI on the $500 billion Stargate program announced in January to establish large-scale AI infrastructure. In late September, the partners outlined plans for five new AI data centers under that effort.
What does it mean for the Japanese enterprises?
- Sovereign-by-design operations with data residency and governance controls
- Access to 200+ Oracle cloud and AI services through SoftBank’s domestic platform
- Enhanced key management to reduce the risk of unauthorized data access
- Phased AI rollout supported by high-performance GPUs for modern workloads
