The upgrade of Quantinuum’s Reimei quantum computer to its H2 system establishes RIKEN’s hybrid quantum-supercomputing platform as the most capable of its kind in the world. Quantinuum and RIKEN expanded their partnership to accelerate the commercialization of this technology, also collaborating with SoftBank Corp. to connect quantum computers directly with AI data centers in Japan. “Japan’s quantum ambitions require advanced capabilities today and a sustained commitment to developing what comes next,” said Dr. Rajeeb Hazra, Quantinuum CEO, as the partners pursue a “Made with Japan” fault-tolerant quantum computer.
Reimei H2 Upgrade Establishes World-Leading Quantum-HPC Platform
The upgraded Reimei quantum computer at RIKEN now forms the core of what the institute claims is the most capable hybrid quantum-supercomputing platform globally, enabling investigations into increasingly complex quantum systems. This advancement, achieved through an upgrade to the System Model H2, expands the scope of research across electronics, energy and life sciences by overcoming limitations of classical computing simulations, RIKEN says.
Quantinuum and RIKEN are exploring applications demanding greater computational power and precision with this enhanced capability. Preliminary results from the upgraded system suggest the model can generate more accurate predictions than both classical AI models and the quantum computer itself, a finding with implications for materials science.
According to Dr. Rajeeb Hazra, Quantinuum CEO, “The upgrade to Reimei expands what we can explore with RIKEN across electronics, energy and life sciences.” Understanding magnetism at the atomic level, facilitated by this improved predictive power, could drive the development of technologies including ultra-high-field MRI machines and smart power grids. The partners are currently combining Reimei with RIKEN’s Fugaku supercomputer and an NVIDIA AI agent to simulate a complex photoactive biomolecule, aiming for a level of detail previously unattainable.
This biomolecular simulation, targeting a deeper understanding of how biomolecules respond to light, could inform the design of more efficient solar cells and unlock further opportunities in biomolecular engineering. Genesis Mission.
Dr. Mitsuhisa Sato, Division Director, Quantum-HPC Hybrid Platform Division, RIKEN Center for Computational Science (R-CCS), stated, “With the upgraded Reimei quantum computer, we will be able to tackle more complex and larger-scale scientific problems that were difficult to address with the previous H1 system, further advancing quantum–HPC hybrid computing through our ongoing JHPC-quantum project.” A newly signed Memorandum of Understanding will expand research into the use of quantum computing for AI for Science, a key initiative promoted by RIKEN.
Simultaneously, a separate agreement with SoftBank Corp. Takenori Kobayashi, Vice President, Head of Product Research & Development Division at SoftBank Corp., explained, “Our responsibility is to turn these achievements into industrial value.” The collaboration will assess infrastructure readiness and explore how connected systems could support commercial quantum-AI hybrid computing services, extending access beyond the research community. This expansion of the JHPC-quantum project is supported by New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), an organization under the jurisdiction of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).
Japan’s quantum ambitions require advanced capabilities today and a sustained commitment to developing what comes next.
Dr. Rajeeb Hazra, Quantinuum CEO
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