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Compare data center regulation

South Korea, Japan and China, measure by measure. EU-wide rules are listed once. National and regional or local rules are shown side by side, each with its status, effective date and source.

MeasuresSouth KoreaJapanChina
EU-wide / supranational000
National112
Regional / local000
Total112
Coverage last reviewednot yet re-reviewednot yet re-reviewednot yet re-reviewed

Up to 7 countries at a time. A zero means no measure was found in this compilation, not that none exists.

EU-wide / supranational (shared)

None of the selected countries is covered by an EU-wide measure in this compilation.

National

South Korea1
Restrictions on metro-Seoul data-centre grid connections
regulationgridin friction index
In force · effective 2023

Large DCs near Seoul face stricter/deferred grid-connection review; distributed-energy obligations for large users; incentives to locate in non-capital regions.

Typical effect of this kind of measure: Controls whether: and how fast: a data center can get grid power. Can delay, cap or block new capacity, and may force on-site generation or demand commitments.

MOTIE / KEPCO · source
Japan1
Regional digital-infrastructure (data-centre) subsidies
subsidydigital policy
In force · effective 2021

Subsidies/support for new regional data centres and related power/network infrastructure.

Lowers the cost of building outside the Tokyo/Osaka corridor: government subsidies support new regional data centres (e.g. Hokkaido, Kyushu) and related power/network links.

METI · source
China2
PUE targets for data centres (national policy)
targetenergy efficiency
In force · effective 2021

New large DCs must meet PUE<=1.25 (national hubs) / <=1.3 elsewhere, plus increasing renewable-energy use (target ~80% green-power utilisation for hub DCs by the early 2030s).

Typical effect of this kind of measure: Sets efficiency rules a data center must meet, e.g. a PUE ceiling or mandatory KPI reporting. Can force cooling/design changes and rule out inefficient builds.

NDRC / MIIT / NEA / CAC · source
'East Data West Computing' (东数西算) national plan
regulationdigital policy
In force · effective 2022

Directs DC siting to designated clusters; efficiency (PUE) and renewable conditions apply; siting/fiscal incentives available within hubs.

Typical effect of this kind of measure: Shapes demand and siting (data localization, cloud-first, digital plans). Indirect: it drives where capacity is needed rather than regulating the facility itself.

NDRC (+ CAC, MIIT, NEA) · source

Regional / local

South Korea0

No regional / local measures compiled.

Japan0

No regional / local measures compiled.

China0

No regional / local measures compiled.

Research compilation, not legal advice. Re-check each measure's status with the cited authority. Some scope and status labels have been corrected from the source compilation (for example, municipal rules that were tagged national, and voluntary pacts that were shown as in force).