Which countries buy the most AI-related exports from Kansai?

In 2025, Taiwan was the top destination at 1兆4800億円, followed by China at 1兆4700億円 and the US and South Korea at 4000億円 each.

What kinds of products are counted as AI-related exports?

The report covers electronic components, equipment and chemicals used in AI fields, with capacitors and electronic circuit boards for data centers among Kansai's prominent products.

When was the report published?

APIR published the report on October 21, 2026.

AI Business & IndustryNikkei AI Stocks4m agoOct 21, 2026, 19:00 JST

Kansai AI exports up 62% to 7295億円 in August

Send on LINE

3 Key Points

What happened
APIR, a Osaka-based think tank, reported that Kansai's AI-related exports — electronic components, equipment and chemicals — rose 62% year-on-year to 7295億円 in August 2026, above Japan's 39% growth, and have grown over 10% every month since December 2025.
Why it matters
The region's sharper growth reflects its strength in making capacitors and circuit boards for data centers, and APIR says leveraging that materials-industry edge is key to Kansai's growth strategy — a signal that AI demand is lifting a specific slice of Japanese manufacturing, not just nationwide totals.

WHO IT HITSComponent and materials makers in Kansai's electronics supply chain — particularly capacitor and circuit-board producers serving data-center customers — are the direct beneficiaries of this export surge.

Not sure about something? Ask the AI

Questions and answers are published on this page.

Summaries like this, in your inbox every morning.

Get news like this every morning, free

Context & Analysis

The report, based on Ministry of Finance trade statistics, tracks exports from the two urban prefectures and four prefectures of Kansai plus Mie. That geographic scope matters because Kansai is home to a dense cluster of capacitor and circuit-board manufacturers, components that data centers rely on. The August figure extends a run of double-digit growth that began in December 2025, suggesting the momentum is not a one-month anomaly. APIR's recommendation that Kansai build on its materials-industry strengths points to a strategic question: whether the region can convert this cyclical AI investment wave into a durable export franchise rather than a temporary surge.

FAQ

Which countries buy the most AI-related exports from Kansai?: In 2025, Taiwan was the top destination at 1兆4800億円, followed by China at 1兆4700億円 and the US and South Korea at 4000億円 each.
What kinds of products are counted as AI-related exports?: The report covers electronic components, equipment and chemicals used in AI fields, with capacitors and electronic circuit boards for data centers among Kansai's prominent products.
When was the report published?: APIR published the report on October 21, 2026.

Nikkei AI StocksRead Original Article

Send on LINE

AI news that matters for your work, delivered every morning.

Pick your industry and the AI tools you use, and get news related to your work every day.

Get it free

Free · 30 seconds with Google · unsubscribe anytimeWhat is AIToday? →

Ask AI

Ask AI anything about this article. The AI reads this article, earlier AIToday articles, and Wikipedia, and cites its sources. Q&As are published on this page for other readers too.