Kyndryl Cloud Uplift expands Microsoft Azure data center regions into Japan

TOKYO, May 19, 2026 — Kyndryl (NYSE: KD), a leading provider of mission-critical enterprise technology services, today announced the availability of Kyndryl Cloud Uplift, a Kyndryl cloud modernization solution, in Microsoft data center regions in Tokyo and Osaka. This expansion will provide Japanese enterprises with high levels of business continuity to modernize their mission-critical legacy applications on Microsoft Azure, while keeping data in Japan to comply with their sovereignty goals.

As the modernization of mission-critical systems accelerates, data sovereignty and resilience have become key elements of cloud strategies. According to the 2025 Kyndryl Readiness Report, 75% of business leaders are concerned about the geopolitical risks of storing and managing data in global cloud environments, and 65% have already modified their strategies in response to evolving data sovereignty regulations.

“Microsoft Japan welcomes Kyndryl’s Cloud Uplift services in the Microsoft Japanese data center region,” said Satoshi Asano, Managing Executive Officer, Enterprise Services Group and Global Partner Solutions, Microsoft Japan. “With Kyndryl Cloud Uplift, migrating mission-critical systems from on-premises environments to Microsoft Azure becomes faster and more practical. Integrating traditional applications with Microsoft Azure’s extensive native services can significantly enhance security, governance, performance and business continuity, while unlocking new value through data analytics and AI utilization. This initiative will accelerate IT infrastructure modernization in Japan and contribute to customer growth, innovation and competitive strength. We also expect that the expansion of services in the Japan region will enable more customers to build a trusted and reliable IT environment that they can use with confidence.”

“Our mission is to contribute to the modernization of core enterprise systems that are supporting mission-critical operations, and to help establish a reliable IT environment with appropriate security controls for Japanese society,” said Yoshinori Irisawa, President, Kyndryl Japan. “With our deep expertise in IT modernization through Kyndryl Cloud Uplift, we are well positioned to accelerate digital transformation and drive business growth for customers with the Microsoft Japanese data center region now being available across two key locations.”

Formerly known as Skytap, Kyndryl Cloud Uplift is an Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) offering that enables AIX, IBM i Linux on IBM Power and x86 workloads to run natively on Microsoft Azure. This innovative service enables organizations to migrate existing workloads to Microsoft Azure with few or no changes, helping them reduce risk, minimize operational disruption and control capital expenditures. Kyndryl Cloud Uplift also helps organizations embrace modern cloud capabilities and leverage Azure-native services like AI, machine learning, security and resilience, and DevOps. The availability of two Microsoft Japanese data center regions in Tokyo and Osaka will enable customers to benefit from high levels of business continuity. By integrating Kyndryl Cloud Uplift with Microsoft Azure, Kyndryl provides end-to-end support across every phase of the digital transformation journey beyond just cloud migration — including strategic planning, development, migration and managed services.

Kyndryl Cloud Uplift reinforces Kyndryl’s commitment to helping customers deploy cloud environments that align with local requirements, while supporting global deployment options. Kyndryl Cloud Uplift is now available in fifteen Microsoft data center regions worldwide.

Learn more about Kyndryl’s hybrid cloud services portfolio.