NTT DATA, Sumitomo Corporation and JA Mitsui Leasing, Ltd. have on Wednesday announced the joint establishment of a new company, Intra-Asia Marine Networks Co., Ltd. (I-AM NW), to construct and operate a large-scale submarine communication cable, Intra-Asia Marine Cable (I-AM Cable), connecting Japan, Malaysia and Singapore, with additional connectivity to Korea, the Philippines and Taiwan.
The parties said in a statement that submarine cables are becoming increasingly critical for the rapidly expanding global digital and artificial intelligence (AI) economy, accounting for approximately 99 percent of all international data transfers.
The I-AM Cable, originating in Japan, will form a new communication ecosystem, supporting Asia’s growing digital infrastructure.
It is noted that positioned between Asia and the United States, Japan is a crucial data hub connecting the Asia-Pacific region with the rest of the world.
By securing communication routes from three Japanese landing stations in Chiba, Mie and Fukuoka to Malaysia and Singapore, the new system will provide robust resilience against natural disasters in the region.
The new cable will also reinforce Japan’s role as a data hub while contributing to regional revitalization and strengthening international competitiveness.
By using Wavelength Selective Switch (WSS) functionality, the wavelength bandwidth of each route can be remotely adjusted, enabling flexible responses to evolving business needs and traffic demands.
The cable will also adopt the Space Division Multiplexing (SDM) technology, accommodating up to 16 fiber pairs (32 cores) per cable.
In combination, this will enable a total capacity of approximately 320 terabits per second, ensuring high-quality, highly reliable communication for major global tech companies and telecom operators.
“The launch of I-AM NW marks a significant step in strengthening Asia’s digital infrastructure,
“This project reflects our commitment to delivering reliable, flexible connectivity solutions that empower businesses and drive digital transformation across the Asia-Pacific region,” said Yoshio Sato, Chief Executive Officer at I-AM NW.
I-AM NW will manage the entire process from planning to sales of communication circuits for this submarine cable, providing high-quality communication services to global tech giants and telecom operators and contributing to the development of communication infrastructure across Asia.