TOKYO, July 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, IBM
(NYSE: IBM) and the University of Tokyo
unveiled a landmark collaboration with the launch of the Quantum
Innovation Initiative Consortium (QIIC). Expanding from the
December 2019 Japan–IBM Quantum
Partnership initiative, QIIC, aims to accelerate the collaboration
between industry, academia, and government to advance Japan's leadership in quantum science,
business, and education.
QIIC's main goal is to strategically accelerate quantum
computing R&D activities in Japan by bringing together academic talent
from across the country's universities and prominent research
associations and large-scale industry. The consortium plans to
further develop technology for quantum computing in Japan and build an ecosystem to improve
student skills and expertise, opening doors to future scientific
discoveries and practical quantum applications.
Headquartered at the University of
Tokyo, member organizations of QIIC will collaborate to
engage students, faculty, and industry researchers with seminars,
workshops, and events to foster new quantum business opportunities
in Japan. Organizations in
agreement to join the consortium include Keio University, Toshiba, Hitachi,
Mizuho, MUFG, JSR, DIC, Toyota, Mitsubishi Chemicals and IBM
Japan.
These organizations in consortium will also be part of the IBM Q
Network – the world's first community of Fortune 500 companies,
startups, academic institutions and research labs – to advance
quantum computing and the development of practical applications for
it. As part of the network, they will have access to IBM's
expertise and resources, and cloud development environment, as well
as cloud-based access to the IBM Quantum Computation Center, which
includes IBM's most-advanced quantum computers.
In addition to cloud-based access to the IBM's fleet of quantum
systems, the QIIC will also have access to an IBM Q System One, a
dedicated system planned for installation in Japan in 2021. The first of its kind in the
region, and only the second such installation outside of the US,
this system – along with a separate testbed system to be part of a
system technology development lab – will support the consortium's
goals of next-generation quantum hardware research and development,
including cryogenic components, room temperature electronics, and
micro-signal generators.
According to Professor Makoto
Gonokami, President of the University
of Tokyo:
"Society 5.0 is the concept of a better future with
inclusive, sustainable and a knowledge-intensive society where
information and services create value underpinned by digital
innovation. The key to realizing this society is to utilize real
data in real-time. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to
protect and nurture the global environment, an entity of physical
space and cyberspace as one, by taking it as a global commons (a
concept that encompasses global resources and the ecosystems) which
is sustainable and reliable, while the fusion of physical space and
cyberspace progresses.
"Quantum technology and quantum computers are indispensable
technologies to make that happen. I believe that Japan will play an important role in
implementing quantum computing technology to society ahead of rest
of the world, and that industry-academia-government collaboration
is necessary for this. The QIIC will accelerate quantum technology
research and its implementation to the Society 5.0 while
firmly sharing each other's wisdom and promoting the close
sharing of information."
"Today, I am extremely excited and proud to launch this new
consortium that will help foster economic growth and quantum
technology leadership in Japan. The QIIC will greatly advance
Japan's entire quantum computing
ecosystem, bringing experts from industry, government and academia
together to collaborate on research and development," said
Dario Gil, Director of IBM Research.
"Quantum computing has the potential to tackle some of the
world's greatest challenges in the future. We expect that
it will help us accelerate scientific discovery so that
we can develop vaccines more quickly and
accurately, create new materials to address climate
change or design better energy storage technologies. The
potential is massive, and we will only reach this future
if we work together – uniting the best minds from the public and
private sectors. Universities, businesses and governments have to
collaborate so that we can unleash the full potential of quantum
computing."
QIIC's members are forging a path for Japan's discovery of practical quantum
applications for the benefit of society. The cooperation between
industry, academia, and government aims to create a new community
for quantum computation research and use cases.
About IBM Quantum
IBM Quantum is an industry-first
initiative to build quantum systems for business and science
applications. For more information about IBM's quantum computing
efforts, please visit www.ibm.com/ibmq.
For more information about the IBM Q Network, as well as a full
list of all partners, members, and hubs,
visit https://www.research.ibm.com/ibm-q/network/
About The University of
Tokyo
The University of Tokyo was
established in 1877 as the first national university in
Japan. As a leading research
university, the University of Tokyo is
conducting academic research in almost all fields at both
undergraduate and graduate schools. The University aims to provide
its students with a rich and varied academic environment that
ensures opportunities for acquiring both academic and professional
knowledge and skills.
Media Contacts
Chris Nay
cnay@us.ibm.com
Miri Yasuhara
IBM Japan
+81 50 3150 7967
yasumiri@jp.ibm.com
View original content to download
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ibm-and-the-university-of-tokyo-unveil-the-quantum-innovation-initiative-consortium-to-accelerate-japans-quantum-research-and-development-leadership-301102740.html
SOURCE IBM