Tokyo, December 22, 2025
Sharp Corporation, once known as the "father of LCD," has fully ceased large-scale LCD panel production at its Sakai City plant in Osaka by the end of 2024. In 2025, portions of the facility have been acquired by companies including SoftBank and KDDI, with plans to repurpose it into massive AI data centers. SoftBank's project, potentially in collaboration with OpenAI, aims for operations starting in 2026 with initial power capacity of 150MW, expandable to over 400MW.
This transition signifies the complete end of TV-sized large LCD panel manufacturing in Japan. Sharp is shifting focus to high-value small- and medium-sized panels for automotive and VR applications, while sourcing others from parent company Foxconn. Industry analysts note that Japan's global LCD market share has fallen below 3%, with Chinese firms like BOE and TCL Huaxing commanding over 75%.
Sharp's move reflects the broader shift in Japan's display industry from traditional panels to AI infrastructure amid fierce competition from China and the rise of OLED technology.
