Jen-Hsun Huang meets with Shigeru Ishiba! Japan reveals a $44 billion AI energy plan to shake off the shadow of the nuclear disaster.

NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang met with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on April 21 and emphasized, "If Japan wants to play a key role in the AI era, it must expand its electricity supply and build infrastructure." This also highlights the reality pressure on whether the energy infrastructure can keep pace behind the global pursuit of technological breakthroughs.

Jen-Hsun Huang meets with Shigeru Ishiba: For AI to develop, electricity must come first.

According to a Bloomberg report, Jen-Hsun Huang wore a suit and set aside his signature sweater to personally visit Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on April 21. After the meeting, he stated to the media:

"Japan is already strong in robotics and manufacturing, but to stand out in the global AI race, it is necessary to expand infrastructure and fill the energy gap."

Japan faces a dilemma: to choose AI or nuclear energy.

Japan is a country with relatively scarce energy resources, currently facing a dilemma:

Surge in data center power demand: The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that future AI-driven data centers and cooling systems ( such as air conditioning ), will drive a surge in electricity demand.

Restarting nuclear power or importing expensive fossil fuels: After the Fukushima nuclear disaster, most of Japan's nuclear power plants have been shut down and have not yet fully restarted. Shigeru Ishiba stated that the government is also considering investing in a $44 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Alaska as part of negotiations with Trump.

The above background makes Jen-Hsun Huang's remarks not just a business consideration, but also directly point to the pain points of Japan's energy policy.

AI is fundamentally transforming various industries, behind which is a hard battle for energy.

Jen-Hsun Huang emphasized in the meeting that AI is changing not only the technology industry but also transforming various sectors from healthcare, manufacturing, education to agriculture.

But he also reminded that there must be sufficient electricity to support the massive computing and cooling demands. If the energy supply cannot keep up, the development of AI will be hindered.

The meeting comes at a time when the technology war between the U.S. and China is intensifying, and NVIDIA's business in China is restricted.

This trip to Japan is also related to geopolitics. Jen-Hsun Huang just returned from Beijing and is facing a new ban from President Trump of the United States:

Prohibit NVIDIA from selling H20 AI chips to China.

NVIDIA warns of a potential $5.5 billion asset loss.

This forces NVIDIA to accelerate its layout in other markets, with Japan being seen as the next key strategic point.

AI is the future, but energy issues still exist.

Jen-Hsun Huang's visit reveals a core issue: the AI revolution requires not just chips, but also massive amounts of power to support it. Faced with energy bottlenecks and political pressures, if Japan wants to play a leading role in the global AI landscape, it must first address the fundamental issue of "whether there is power."

However, the shadow of the Fukushima nuclear disaster still lingers in Japan, which has led to political and public resistance to the issue of restarting nuclear energy. For Japan, how to strike a balance between "public opinion" and "energy reality" is the key to determining whether AI development can be implemented.

( NVIDIA H20 chip faces U.S. export restrictions to China! Estimated loss of 5.5 billion USD, dropping 6.3% after hours )

This article discusses Jen-Hsun Huang's meeting with Shigenori Shibayama! Japan reveals a $44 billion AI energy project to shake off the shadows of the nuclear disaster, first appeared in Chain News ABMedia.