Japan's 1st Commercial-Use Quantum Computer Starts Operations - Japan Today
upstart writes:
Japan's 1st commercial-use quantum computer starts operations - Japan Today:
The University of Tokyo and International Business Machines Corp have started operations of Japan's first commercial-use quantum computer, making a foray into a fiercely competitive field led by the United States and China.
The next-generation system, developed by the U.S. technology company with the university holding exclusive access rights to use it, was set up at Kawasaki Business Incubation Center in Kanagawa Prefecture, southwest of Tokyo.
An industry-academia consortium, launched in 2020, including Toyota Motor Corp, Sony Group Corp and Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corp as members, has access to the computer for joint research. It will explore the practical applications of quantum computing and nurture human resources.
The IBM Quantum System One computer system is the second of its kind that IBM has built outside the United States, following one in Germany.
[...] "It is very significant that a base (for a quantum computer) has been set up in Japan as it will help nurture personnel who will be adept at actually operating it," said Hideyuki Mase, senior researcher at the Japan Research Institute.
He noted many technical challenges remain for the full-fledged operation of quantum computers and the race to develop them has been intensifying globally, led by the United States and China.
Read more of this story at SoylentNews.