Apple’s R&D center in Japan on track for March opening as cabinet secretary praises the company’s efforts

We first learned about Apple’s plans for a research and development center in Yokohama, Japan back in 2014, with the country’s prime minster saying that it would be “on par with Apple’s biggest R&D centers in Asia.” Construction was originally expected to be completed in 2016, but was delayed into 2017.

Now, a new report from Macotakara claims that we’re nearing the March 2017 opening of the center…

The report says that Apple’s  R&D center in Japan will be its “first technical development site” in the area. The center is said to come in at 25,000-square-meters and be a central point for new product developments.

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga praised Apple’s new R&D in a recent interview, saying that things like Apple’s development represent a huge opportunity for Japan and could trigger a bigger chance of other companies to do the same.

Suga says “From now on, this will be the site where new products will be released not only within Japan but also to the world. Things like this bring us such a huge dream.” and expressed his expectation “for the establishment of the Apple site to trigger a big chance.”

The research and development center is set to open in March.