First order for commercial quantum computer system as Japanese vendor
Fujitsu today announced that it has received an order for a gate-based superconducting quantum computer from the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) on May 15, 2024.
Fujitsu established the RIKEN RQC-Fujitsu Collaboration Center in April 2021 and has been conducting joint research with RIKEN aimed at scaling-up superconducting quantum computers. The new superconducting quantum computer is a system that Fujitsu has put into practical use by utilizing technology cultivated at the RIKEN RQC-Fujitsu Collaboration Center. It is scheduled to be operated by the Global Research and Development Center for Business by Quantum-AI technology (G-QuAT) of AIST in early 2025. This is the first time that a Japanese vendor has received an order for a commercial quantum computer system.
At the RIKEN RQC-Fujitsu Collaboration Center, Fujitsu has developed Japan’s second domestically-made superconducting quantum computer with RIKEN. Since October 2023, Fujitsu has been providing a hybrid quantum computing platform for enterprises that can be used in conjunction with a quantum simulator. With Japanese originality and advanced technology, Fujitsu is expanding the search for practical quantum applications through collaboration with users in various fields such as materials informatics, finance, and drug discovery via cloud computing.
The new superconducting quantum computer system is designed to scale to hundreds of qubits, one of the largest in the world, without upgrading the dilution refrigerators that constitute a superconducting quantum computer. It applies Fujitsu’s newly developed technology for mounting high-density wiring inside refrigerators and packaging technology for large qubit chips.
Fujitsu has also received an order for the ABCI-Q(1), a quantum and AI cloud from G-QuAT of AIST, in February 2024. This order will contribute to the development of a quantum and classical computing environment for G-QuAT. Fujitsu will continue to promote advanced research and development in various areas of quantum computing and contribute to the innovative growth of academia, industry, and society.
Comment from Masahiro Horibe, Deputy Director, Global Research and Development Center for Business by Quantum-AI Technology (G-QuAT), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology:
“As a core technology that can bring about major changes in the world, quantum technology has been receiving rapidly increasing expectations and attention in recent years, while international competition has also intensified. The introduction of the new quantum computer system will strengthen the computational infrastructure used by the Center for R&D at companies and research institutions and will contribute significantly to the promotion of industry and the creation of new markets in Japan. The center plans to use quantum computers in future collaboration with the quantum AI cloud ABCI-Q for research on establishing fusion technology between quantum and AI. By making extensive use of this computing platform for various users, we aim to create markets based on use cases in different industrial fields, while promoting the industrialization of Japan’s quantum technology and striving to secure its superiority.”
Comment from Yasunobu Nakamura, Director, RIKEN Center for Quantum Computing (RQC):
“A quarter of a century has passed since the first superconducting qubit was realized in the world, and Fujitsu has become the first Japanese company to receive an order for a commercial quantum computer which was said to be still decades away. I deeply feel that the quantum computer has left the laboratory and will be offered. Since the RIKEN RQC-Fujitsu Collaboration Center was established with Fujitsu in 2021, we have been jointly involved in the Research and Development of Japanese-built Quantum Computers. This initiative will not only usher in a new era in the field of quantum computers in Japan but also serve as a good model for the formation of an industry-academia-government ecosystem that will link the latest research results of Japanese academia to practical applications.”
Comment from Vivek Mahajan, CTO and CPO, Corporate Vice President, Fujitsu Limited:
“We are very pleased that AIST has chosen our superconducting quantum computer. We expect that this quantum computer will be used to strengthen the R&D base for advanced quantum technologies and to develop practical quantum applications. We will promote the development and industrial application of quantum-related technology research at all layers, including hardware as well as middleware, architecture, and application development, and contribute to the resilience of domestic technologies in Japan. We will also lead the way in future quantum evolutions by integrating and commercializing Japanese technologies as competitive technologies that can compete globally.”
(1) ABCI-Q :A high-performance supercomputer (HPC) developed by Fujitsu and scheduled for delivery at the end of fiscal 2024. 2,020 Nvidia H100 Tensor core GPUs.
