Looking to enable European networks to access one of Asia’s largest interconnection hubs with simplified connectivity, low latency and local peering opportunities, the Japan Internet Xing Co (JPIX) and the London Internet Exchange (LINX) has launched direct network routes between London and Tokyo.
Founded in 1994, LINX is one of the world’s leading internet exchange points (IXPs), providing peering services to more than 900 autonomous systems (ASNs) globally. It operates IXPs in London, Manchester, Scotland and Wales in the UK, as well as in Northern Virginia, US.
Interconnection locations were launch in Kenya in 2023, with LINX Nairobi being the first footprint in Africa for the IXP. LINX Mombasa followed in February 2025 and LINX are busy preparing for their first IXP in West Africa to be launched later this year.
By facilitating direct data exchange between networks, LINX said it can help reduce latency, improve speed and increase reliability for internet users worldwide.
Tokyo is one of the world’s most significant interconnection hubs, supported by more than 20 international subsea cable systems connecting Japan to North America, Southeast Asia and Australia. This extensive connectivity makes the city a strategic location for content delivery, financial trading and international network expansion.
JPIX and LINX first started working together in 2018 following a demand for networks in Tokyo to access “unique content” in London at LINX. The reverse route for networks to access unique content in Tokyo from London is driven by the growing global demand for Japanese digital content, particularly in areas such as anime, manga and gaming.
The initial element of the new partnership is designed to allow JPIX’s customers to connect directly to LINX’s LON1 peering platform in London via a sole carrier partner. The connection will be ordered and managed by JPIX, making it as simple as possible for their customers to connect to LINX.
An introductory offer, available exclusively to LINX members, will provide a 1Gbps service at JPIX, including the transport bandwidth between LINX LON1 and JPIX Tokyo, for only GBP400 per month. Other bandwidth options up to 5Gbps will also be available.
LINX said that the simplified commercial model will enable networks to establish a presence in Tokyo without managing separate local connectivity arrangements. The expansion of the Tokyo service has also encouraged LINX to rebrand their work with fellow IXPs to LINX IX Connect and will cover all the collaborative work and routes they offer with not only JPIX, but also Namex in Rome and NYIIX in New York.
Mike Hellers, product development manager for LINX, said: “It’s great to see this partnership flourish. We have a handful of networks now peering in London from Tokyo with quite high bandwidths. We are pleased to now be able to work with JPIX to provide the reverse route from London to Tokyo.”
JPIX senior executive expert Tetsuya Hamada added: “This new route is a wider project we are working on to increase the awareness of local peering in Japan for networks in Europe.”
Networks interested in establishing connectivity between London and Tokyo, including available peering opportunities, are being encouraged to contact LINX.
