Jensen Huang's 'Dining Diplomacy' Makes Headlines in Japan... Strengthening the AI Supply Chain Over Skewers

Jensen Huang Expands the Asian AI Ecosystem

Dismisses Speculation of an AI Bubble, Strengthens Partnerships in Japan

Potential Collaboration with Japan's Physical AI Project "Noetra" Also Discussed

Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, who attracted attention during his visit to Korea by sharing samgyeopsal and chicken with beer with top executives of major companies, moved to expand the artificial intelligence (AI) alliance in Japan while seated in front of skewers.

On July 15, Yonhap News quoted Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei), reporting that CEO Huang attended a 30th anniversary event celebrating the collaboration between Nvidia and game company Sega, held in Akihabara, Tokyo, then moved to a nearby izakaya near Kanda Station for a dinner with officials from Japanese supply chain companies. Upon entering the venue, CEO Huang was greeted with applause from the attendees, and toasts were reportedly offered throughout the restaurant.

Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, who attracted attention by sharing samgyeopsal and chicken with major company executives during his visit to Korea, has expanded AI alliances in Japan while having skewers in front of him. Reuters Yonhap News

The 'skewer gathering' in Japan can be interpreted as an extension of the so-called 'dining diplomacy' that CEO Huang demonstrated in Korea and Taiwan. During his visit to Korea last month, he held discussions on collaboration with major companies such as Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, and Hyundai Motor, and met with prominent business leaders including Chey Tae-won, Chairman of SK Group; Koo Kwang-mo, Chairman of LG Group; and Lee Hae-jin, Chairman of Naver’s board, at a samgyeopsal restaurant in Seoul. At the time, CEO Huang assessed Korea as a global manufacturing hub and highlighted that there are many opportunities to apply Nvidia's physical AI technology to semiconductor manufacturing, as well as the automotive and robotics industries.

Jensen Huang: "SK hynix ADR Unbelievably Successful"... Betting on Physical AI in Japan

In Japan as well, CEO Huang did not conceal his close ties with Korean semiconductor companies. At the Sega event, when asked about SK hynix’s listing of American Depositary Receipts (ADR) on Nasdaq, he said, "It's incredibly successful" and expressed that he was "very pleased." SK hynix is a key partner supplying high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for Nvidia's AI accelerators. As of the close of local trading on July 14, the third trading day after listing, SK hynix ADR had soared by 27.29%, drawing strong investor interest. CEO Huang’s remarks are seen as further strengthening optimism about the growth potential of the HBM supply chain centered around SK hynix.

The "skewer gathering" in Japan can be interpreted as an extension of CEO Hwang's so-called "dining table diplomacy" demonstrated in South Korea and Taiwan. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

CEO Huang described his current visit to Japan as "the moment when the curtain rises for Japanese AI." He announced large-scale AI and robotics collaborations involving the Japanese government and major corporations, emphasizing that Japan’s strengths in semiconductor materials, manufacturing equipment, and robotics technology can be connected to the physical AI ecosystem. He also dismissed speculation of an AI investment bubble, saying, "We are far from a bubble," and noting that, "Demand is unbelievably high." Details of Nvidia’s partnerships in Japan, released on the morning of July 16, spanned the entire spectrum of industries including automotive, manufacturing, finance, science, and healthcare.

Locally in Japan, there was speculation that the new partnership might be linked to the domestic physical AI project "Noetra," which is being promoted by the Japanese government. Noetra is a large-scale project involving 44 companies including SoftBank and NEC, supported by research from the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology. However, as of the morning of July 16, Nvidia’s official partnership documents did not directly mention Noetra by name. While collaborations with individual companies and institutions such as Toyota, RIKEN, Mizuho, and Hitachi were confirmed, the potential for a direct partnership with Noetra will need to be monitored for further announcements by the Japanese government or partner companies.

Samgyeopsal in Korea, Skewers in Japan... Jensen Huang's Vision for an 'Asian AI Alliance'

At the earlier Sega event, CEO Huang reminisced about Nvidia’s early ties with Sega. During their joint development of graphics technology in the 1990s, Nvidia’s first graphics chip, the NV1, did not meet expectations, but ongoing support from Sega’s leadership allowed the company to overcome the crisis. He expressed gratitude, stating that without support from Sega and Japan's 3D gaming industry, "there would be no Nvidia as we know it today." Nvidia and Sega have agreed to continue collaboration in gaming through the next-generation Windows PC superchip "RTX Spark," starting with the upcoming "Virtua Fighter Crossroad."

The industry views CEO Hwang's recent actions as a strategy to connect the strengths of Asian countries to Nvidia's AI ecosystem. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

The industry views CEO Huang’s recent moves as a strategy to connect the unique strengths of each Asian country to Nvidia’s AI ecosystem. In Korea, this means combining HBM, semiconductor, automotive, and robotics manufacturing prowess, while in Japan it involves integrating materials, equipment, robotics, financial, and scientific technology. CEO Huang’s dining diplomacy—ranging from samgyeopsal and chicken with beer to skewers—has become more than a gesture of camaraderie; analysts say it is now the stage for reshaping the Asian AI supply chain.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.