Earlier this month, Apple made it official that it will be opening a brand-new research and development centre in China’s largest manufacturing district, Shenzhen, in addition to its previously planned $45 million R&D centre in Beijing. Today, Xinhua is reporting that during a recent visit to Tokyo, Apple CEO Tim Cook has announced that the company is planning to open a new R&D center in Japan as well (via TechCrunch).
“Cook met with Japan’s prime minister Shinzo Abe to discuss all things Apple and Japan. Later at a press conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga reported that Apple would complete its R&D center in December.”
The source notes that a building located in Yokohama, which used to be a Panasonic factory, was taken over by Apple which has now been transferred into an R&D center. The company wants to use these research centres to more easily locate and hire talented engineers in Japan. Although, the company has not yet shared details about what its Japanese team will be working on.
In addition to China and Japan, Apple is also expected to open R&D centers in the U.K., Israel, France, Japan and Sweden.
