Fujitsu is a Japanese global technology company building both quantum annealing systems, marketed as the Digital Annealer, and superconducting gate-model quantum computers.

In partnership with RIKEN, Fujitsu operates a 256-qubit superconducting quantum computer at the RIKEN RQC-Fujitsu Collaboration Center, unveiled in April 2025 as a 4x upgrade from the previous 64-qubit system. A 1,000-qubit system is planned for 2026, with more than 10,000 qubits targeted by 2030. Fujitsu took part in the launch of the University of Osaka's domestically produced quantum computer in July 2025, and it offers cloud access to quantum simulators and hybrid quantum-classical computing through Fujitsu Quantum Computing as a Service. In May 2025, Fujitsu deployed its Digital Annealer technology with Toyota Systems for automotive connector design, achieving 20x acceleration over conventional methods while running on mass-produced ECUs. Update 2026-02-17: Fujitsu and QuTech are integrating cryo-CMOS to control electron and nuclear spins in diamond qubits for scalable quantum computing. Source: https://quantumzeitgeist.com/fujitsu-qutech-quantum-computing-control/ Update 2026-01-28: Fujitsu unveiled a sovereign AI platform designed to manage the full generative AI lifecycle with local control starting in 2026. Source: https://quantumzeitgeist.com/fujitsu-ai-platform-ai-deployment/ Update 2025-07-31: Fujitsu's Digital Annealer demonstrated competitive performance when solving large and complex optimization problems. Source: https://quantumzeitgeist.com/digital-annealer-benchmarks-show-competitive-performance-on-large-scale-max-cut-problems/

Fujitsu

Fujitsu Quantum is Fujitsu's quantum computing division, operating in partnership with RIKEN (Japan's national research institute). In April 2025, Fujitsu and RIKEN unveiled a 256-qubit superconducting quantum computer, advancing Japan's national quantum capability. Fujitsu plans a 1,000-qubit system for FY2026 and a 10,000-qubit system by 2030. The company also developed the world's fastest quantum simulator and launched the $100K Quantum Simulator Challenge 2025-26. Fujitsu is part of a consortium with NEC and Hitachi targeting commercial high-speed quantum computers by 2030.

Fujitsu Quantum

QunaSys is a Japanese quantum software company founded in 2018 that specializes in quantum chemistry software and molecular simulation. It develops quantum algorithms and computational tools for chemical and pharmaceutical research, materials science, and drug discovery, providing platforms that use quantum computing to address molecular and chemical problems that are difficult for classical computers. Its customers are research institutions and companies in Japan and worldwide.

QunaSys raised $29.7M from Global Brain, JIC Venture Growth, Mitsubishi Electric, and Zeon Corporation. It launched the QSCI Technical Portal and an official partner program, licensing its quantum-enhanced molecular simulation platform to pharmaceutical companies to speed up drug discovery. Commercial partners include Biogen, Dow Chemical, and Accenture. The company's QSCI (Quantum-Selected Configuration Interaction) algorithm is being extended beyond quantum chemistry into optimization problems. Update 2026-03-03: QunaSys launched a technical portal and partner program to support the commercial deployment of its Quantum-Selected Configuration Interaction algorithm. Source: https://quantumzeitgeist.com/qunasys-quantum-computing-algorithms/

QunaSys

Anritsu Corporation is a Japanese manufacturer of telecommunications test and measurement equipment, founded in 1895 and headquartered in Atsugi, Kanagawa.

Anritsu provides test equipment for quantum communication systems, including optical network analyzers, signal analyzers, and specialized instruments for validating quantum key distribution (QKD) networks and quantum communication infrastructure. It also develops testing solutions for quantum-safe telecommunications and post-quantum cryptography. The company serves telecommunications operators, quantum technology companies, research institutions, and quantum network developers, supplying the precision test and measurement capabilities that quantum networking deployments and quantum-safe telecommunications validation require.

Anritsu

Blueqat is a Japanese quantum computing startup partnering with the Institute for Molecular Science to develop Japan's first cold neutral atom quantum computers with commercialization targeted by 2024. The company combines quantum hardware development with open-source quantum software tools to advance quantum computing accessibility in Japan. Blueqat is part of Japan's national strategy to achieve quantum computing independence through domestic cold atom technology.

Blueqat Inc.

The Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) is a national financial institution that partners on quantum computing commercialization initiatives, including cold atom quantum computer development. DBJ provides strategic financing and investment for Japan's quantum technology ecosystem as part of the government's industrial policy. Its involvement reflects Japan's effort to mobilize both public and private capital toward a competitive quantum computing industry and technological sovereignty in the sector.

DBJ's quantum investment activity continued through 2025, with portfolio companies showing progress in technology development and commercialization. The bank focuses on supporting quantum startups through funding and strategic guidance.

Development Bank of Japan Quantum Investment

Faraday Factory Japan is a Japanese manufacturer developing cost-effective mass production methods for High Temperature Superconducting (HTS) tapes, with production capacities approaching 100 thousand kilometers per year. The company produces second-generation HTS wire using advanced manufacturing processes that reduce costs and increase the availability of superconducting materials for quantum computing applications.

Faraday Factory Japan manufactures superconducting tape used in quantum computing infrastructure, including superconducting qubits, quantum interconnects, and cryogenic quantum systems. Its mass production capabilities support large-scale deployment of superconducting materials for quantum processors and other quantum technology applications.

The company serves quantum computing manufacturers, research institutions, cryogenic equipment providers, and quantum technology companies that need high-volume, cost-effective superconducting wire for quantum computing infrastructure, quantum communication systems, and quantum sensing applications.

Faraday Factory Japan

Fixstars Amplify is a Tokyo-based company established in 2021 that offers a cloud platform built for combinatorial optimization problems, integrating quantum annealing, Ising machines, and gate-model quantum computers. The platform provides an SDK and execution environment for Ising machines, automating logical model conversion, physical model conversion, and machine execution to make quantum annealing programming more accessible. It is compatible with the company's own Fixstars Amplify Annealing Engine (AE) as well as all available quantum annealing and Ising solvers, mathematical optimization solvers, and gate-based quantum computers. The GPU-based Amplify AE processes large-scale problems of more than 100,000 bits at high speed.

Since becoming publicly available in 2021, Amplify has processed more than 45 million user requests as of October 2024. It has been adopted in the Mitou Target Program since 2021, with positive feedback on SDK ease of use and performance. The platform also offers Toshiba's Quantum-Inspired Optimization Solution SQBM+.

Fixstars Amplify

Fuji Electric Co. Ltd. is a major Japanese electrical equipment manufacturer founded in 1923 that produces superconducting materials and components for quantum computing and power applications. The company manufactures superconducting wires, cables, and systems using both Low Temperature Superconductor (LTS) and High Temperature Superconductor (HTS) technologies.

Fuji Electric provides superconducting solutions for quantum computing infrastructure, including cryogenic systems, superconducting magnets, and power conditioning equipment used with quantum processors. Drawing on extensive experience in power electronics and cryogenic systems, the company supports quantum computing manufacturers that need reliable superconducting components. It serves quantum technology companies, research institutions, and cryogenic equipment manufacturers in Japan and globally, supplying superconducting materials for quantum processors, quantum communication systems, and quantum computing infrastructure.

Fuji Electric

Fujikura Ltd. is a major Japanese manufacturer founded in 1885 that produces superconducting wires, cables, and materials for quantum computing and telecommunications. The company manufactures high-temperature superconducting (HTS) wire and cable products, drawing on more than 135 years of cable and wire manufacturing expertise.

Fujikura's superconducting solutions support quantum processors, superconducting qubits, quantum interconnects, and cryogenic quantum systems that need ultra-low-resistance electrical conductivity at cryogenic temperatures. The company serves quantum computing manufacturers, research institutions, telecommunications companies, and cryogenic equipment providers that rely on superconducting wire and cable for quantum computing infrastructure, quantum communication networks, and quantum sensing systems.

Fujikura

Groovenauts is a Japanese cloud and AI company partnering with the Institute for Molecular Science on cold atom quantum computer commercialization platform development. The company focuses on building cloud infrastructure and software platforms to make quantum computing accessible to enterprises and researchers. Groovenauts brings extensive cloud computing expertise to Japan's quantum computing ecosystem, bridging the gap between quantum hardware and practical commercial applications.

Groovenauts, Inc.

Hamamatsu Photonics manufactures photonic devices and optical sensors for quantum technologies, including photomultiplier tubes (PMTs), single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs), and qCMOS cameras for trapped ion and neutral atom quantum computing. Recent products include the ORCA-Quest 2 qCMOS camera with faster readout and enhanced UV sensitivity, plus their first commercial optically pumped magnetometer (OPM) for ultra-low magnetic field detection in quantum sensing. Hamamatsu acquired NKT Photonics in 2022 to strengthen its quantum photonics capabilities.

Hamamatsu Photonics

Hitachi Ltd. is a major Japanese multinational conglomerate founded in 1910 and headquartered in Tokyo. It develops quantum computing technologies including CMOS annealing and gate-type quantum computers.

Hitachi began R&D on a CMOS annealing machine in 2013, combining quantum annealing principles with CMOS technology to create quantum-inspired computers for combinatorial optimization. In 2018, it partnered with the University of Tokyo to develop a high-speed quantum computer and signed a memorandum with the Riken research institute and a Belgian research organization to develop a silicon-based quantum computer. In 2020, Hitachi started R&D on a silicon quantum computer as part of Japan's Moonshot Research and Development Program, launched by the Cabinet Office. In June 2024, the company developed a new qubit control method that stabilizes and extends qubit lifetimes a hundred-fold.

Hitachi offers the CMOS Annealing Cloud Service for quasi-quantum computing, serving enterprises that need optimization solutions across logistics, finance, and industrial applications in Japan and worldwide. In October 2025, Hitachi signed an agreement with RIKEN and imec to develop a silicon-based quantum computer, targeting a prototype by fiscal 2027, and reported 99.1% single-qubit control fidelity on a silicon quantum dot built with natural silicon.

Hitachi

IMS Quantum Startup is a planned startup to be launched by Japan's Institute for Molecular Science (IMS) to commercialize cold neutral atom quantum computers. The initiative partners with 10 major industry partners including Fujitsu, Hitachi, and NEC as part of Japan's national quantum computing strategy. This public-private collaboration represents Japan's commitment to developing sovereign quantum computing capabilities using cold atom technology developed at IMS research laboratories.

IMS Quantum Startup

Jij Inc. is a Japanese quantum computing company focused on quantum annealing. It develops the open-source software OpenJij for solving Ising Model and QUBO (Quadratic Unconstrained Binary Optimization) problems, and provides quantum annealing algorithms and tools that help enterprises apply quantum optimization to logistics, scheduling, and combinatorial optimization. The company connects academic quantum annealing research with practical industrial use in the Japanese market.

Through 2025, Jij continued to develop its quantum software platform and developer tools, with a focus on improving algorithm efficiency and expanding use cases. Engagement with the quantum developer community drives much of its product direction. Update 2026-06-10: Marcelin Gallezot, formerly of JoS Quantum, has joined JIJ Inc. as Quantum Market & Business Development Engineer. Source: https://quantumzeitgeist.com/jos-quantum-alum-gallezot-joins/

Jij Inc

KDDI Corporation is a Japanese telecommunications operator founded in 1984 and headquartered in Tokyo. The company conducts quantum networking research, deploying quantum key distribution (QKD) networks and quantum-safe telecommunications infrastructure in Japan.

KDDI collaborates with quantum technology providers to advance practical quantum communications deployments, including quantum encryption for secure communications, and it explores quantum networking technologies for ultra-secure telecommunications and quantum internet infrastructure. The company serves Japanese telecommunications markets, enterprise customers, and government agencies that need quantum-safe communications and quantum network infrastructure, and it contributes to Japan's National Quantum Technology Innovation Strategy by advancing quantum communications for the telecommunications industry.

KDDI

Keio University Quantum Innovation Center is IBM's first quantum innovation center in Asia, established in December 2023 to provide quantum computing resources and research collaboration opportunities. The center provides Japanese researchers and students with access to IBM quantum systems while fostering quantum education and workforce development. This partnership represents Japan's strategy to accelerate quantum computing adoption and build domestic quantum expertise through collaboration with leading international quantum technology providers.

Keio University Quantum Innovation Center

OptQC Corp. is a Japanese photonic quantum computing company building scalable, general-purpose optical quantum computers that operate at room temperature using time-domain multiplexing technology. The company draws on 25 years of optical quantum computing research at the University of Tokyo, and it runs HIQALI (Hub for Innovation in Quantum And Light-driven Industry), an innovation center focused on applying quantum and optical technology across optimization, AI, and machine learning.

In November 2025, OptQC signed a collaboration agreement with NTT Corporation to develop optical quantum computers targeting 10,000 qubits by 2027 and 1 million qubits by 2030. The partnership draws on Japan's photonics and telecommunications expertise. The company's experimental laboratory has been operational since May 2025, with its first commercial optical quantum computer scheduled for April 2026 and a 10,000 quantum mode processor targeted for 2028. Its technology emphasizes scalability, fast processing, energy efficiency, and compatibility with existing optical telecommunication infrastructure.

OptQC

Sigma-i is a Tokyo-based quantum computing startup founded in 2019 as a spinout from Tohoku University. It holds world-leading quantum annealing technologies and develops solutions that use quantum computers with annealing techniques.

The company partners with Toppan on quantum computing research focused on logistics optimization. In 2021, Sigma-i and Toppan began pilot tests that used quantum annealing to improve the efficiency of logistics operations from pickup through to receipt of goods, with the goal of launching logistics DX solutions in 2025. The two companies also research overall optimization solutions based on quantum annealing for sectors beyond logistics.

Sigma-i is part of Japan's growing quantum startup ecosystem, which received major government backing in 2025 with roughly 130 billion yen ($855 million) for quantum research and technology development.

Sigma-i

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, one of Japan's largest pharmaceutical firms, is exploring quantum computing for drug discovery and molecular research. From its Osaka headquarters, the company studies quantum algorithms for computational chemistry, protein structure prediction, and drug-target interaction modeling.

Takeda works with Japanese and international partners on quantum computing research aimed at practical applications that can speed up pharmaceutical R&D. Its quantum effort centers on problems in drug design where quantum simulation could reveal molecular behavior and therapeutic efficacy that classical methods struggle to capture.

Takeda Pharmaceutical Quantum

The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) is Japan's largest public research organisation and a key institution in Japan's quantum technology strategy. AIST operates the Quantum Information Research Centre (QuIC) and is a central partner in Japan's national quantum computing roadmap managed by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).

AIST quantum research spans quantum computing hardware, including superconducting qubits and photonic systems, quantum sensing, quantum materials, and quantum software. AIST hosts one of Japan's national quantum computers, accessible through the Research Institute for Quantum Information Science and Technology (RIQ), and contributes to Japan's goal of deploying 10 million quantum users by 2030. It collaborates with RIKEN, NTT, Fujitsu, and Toshiba on Japan's quantum ecosystem development.

AIST's quantum sensing work includes precision atomic clocks, magnetometers, and gravity sensors with applications in infrastructure monitoring, resource exploration, and autonomous navigation. AIST participates in Japan's flagship quantum technology programmes, including the Q-LEAP programme administered by JST, and contributes to international standardisation through ISO and IEC quantum technology working groups. AIST operates the NMIJ (National Metrology Institute of Japan) division, which develops quantum-based measurement standards equivalent to the NPL and PTB roles in the UK and Germany. Update 2025-05-30: QuEra Computing installed its first quantum computer outside its labs at AIST in Japan for new research. Source: https://quantumzeitgeist.com/japan-advances-quantum-computing-with-first-external-quera-installation/

AIST

Kyoto University is a national research university founded in 1897 in Kyoto, Japan, and the country's second oldest university. Its physics department and research institutes conduct quantum research spanning quantum physics, quantum materials, and quantum information science, with contributions to both theoretical and experimental quantum physics, quantum computing, and quantum technology development.

The university's quantum research programs have produced Nobel Prize winners in physics. Kyoto University collaborates with Japanese quantum companies and international research institutions, and through fundamental research and education it advances the scientific foundations of quantum technology and supports Japan's quantum research excellence.

Kyoto University

LQUOM, formerly QWAVE Dynamics, is a Japanese quantum communication company founded in 2020 as a spin-out from Yokohama National University's Horikiri Laboratory. It develops long-distance quantum communication technologies, including the quantum repeaters needed to realize the quantum internet. The company holds all the elemental technologies for quantum repeaters: quantum entanglement generators, quantum memory, wavelength conversion, and frequency stabilization.

In 2024, LQUOM commercialized the LQ-PS-100, a cavity-integrated two-photon entangled light source. In February 2025, it signed a joint research agreement with Quantinuum, Keio University, SoftBank, Mitsui & Co., Mitsubishi Electric, and Yokohama National University to work toward deployable and scalable quantum information processing.

The company was selected by NEDO for post-5G research and has raised $3.36M in Series B funding from SBI Investment, ORIX Capital, Bio Sight Capital, Anritsu, and SMBC Venture Capital.

LQUOM

Mitsubishi Electric conducts quantum computing research through its advanced technology research and development divisions. The work focuses on quantum applications for industrial automation, power systems optimization, semiconductor manufacturing, and telecommunications infrastructure.

Mitsubishi Electric investigates quantum algorithms for complex optimization problems in manufacturing, logistics, and energy management, and develops quantum-safe security solutions for industrial control systems. It contributes to Japan's quantum computing initiatives and explores quantum technologies that could enhance its industrial and technology portfolio spanning automotive, aerospace, energy systems, and electronic components.

Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation is a Japanese multinational electronics and electrical equipment manufacturer founded in 1921. It participates in Japan's Quantum Leap Flagship Program (Q-LEAP) research initiatives.

The company invests in quantum startups through its ME Innovation Fund and collaborates with QunaSys on new approaches to quantum chemistry calculation for materials science and drug discovery. Its quantum work also targets optimization problems in manufacturing, logistics, materials science, and industrial automation.

Mitsubishi Electric supports Japan's National Quantum Mission and the broader quantum technology ecosystem, working with Japanese quantum startups, universities, and research institutions. It serves industrial manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, and electronics sectors that need quantum-enhanced computation for complex optimization, simulation, and materials design.

Mitsubishi Electric

NEC is a Japanese technology company that develops both quantum annealing and gate-based quantum computing systems. It builds quantum computers for optimization problems and quantum simulations, and offers quantum cloud services and software development tools.

NEC implemented ParityQC's architecture in its first quantum processor. Its focus is practical quantum applications in logistics optimization, financial modeling, and traffic management, serving Japanese enterprises and research institutions with solutions that address optimization challenges across telecommunications, transportation, and business intelligence. This work forms part of Japan's national quantum computing strategy. Update 2026-04-27: NEC will deploy Claude to its 30,000 employees globally and collaborate with Anthropic to build an AI engineering workforce in Japan. Source: https://quantumzeitgeist.com/nec-claude-employees-globally/

The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) is Japan's national research institute for information and communications technology, and it is the country's primary institution for quantum networking, quantum communications, and quantum time and frequency standards. NICT operates Japan's national time standard and contributes Japan's atomic time data to International Atomic Time (TAI).

NICT's quantum communications research has been globally pioneering. The institute built Japan's Tokyo QKD network in 2010, one of the world's first metropolitan quantum key distribution networks, and has since advanced satellite-based QKD, quantum repeater technology, and quantum internet protocols. NICT takes part in the QICI (Quantum Internet and Communications Infrastructure) programme under Japan's quantum strategy, working to deploy a quantum internet backbone connecting major Japanese cities by the early 2030s.

NICT's photon science research includes single-photon sources, quantum frequency conversion, and quantum memory development, all critical for quantum repeater networks. The institute coordinates Japan's quantum communications standardisation contributions to ITU-T and ISO working groups. It collaborates with NTT, Toshiba, and Japanese universities on quantum networking hardware and maintains international research partnerships with NIST, PTB, NPL, and European quantum communications groups. Update 2025-12-16: NICT demonstrated a world-first free-space optical communication system transmitting 2 Tbit/s using small, satellite-mountable terminals. Source: https://quantumzeitgeist.com/nict-free-space-optics-optical-transmission/

NICT

NTT (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone) develops quantum networking and quantum computing services through its quantum research programs. The work centers on quantum communication networks, quantum key distribution systems, and quantum internet infrastructure, along with research into quantum computing technologies, quantum-safe communication services, and quantum network protocols to support secure communications and distributed quantum computing across Japan's telecommunications infrastructure.

In November 2025, NTT launched the OptQC initiative with Fujitsu and other Japanese partners to develop room-temperature optical quantum computers, with the consortium aiming for practical optical quantum computing systems built on Japan's photonics expertise. NTT also partnered with the Australian startup OptQC to jointly develop optical photonic quantum computers targeting 1 million qubits by 2030. NTT's research demonstrates advances in continuous-variable quantum computing, and it has shown quantum entanglement generation 1,000 times faster than conventional methods.

In November 2025, NTT researchers, with Cornell University and Stanford University, demonstrated the first programmable nonlinear photonic waveguide, published in Nature, enabling reconfigurable photonic quantum processing. The work was carried out through NTT's PHI Lab.

NTT DOCOMO deployed D-Wave quantum annealing for mobile network base station optimization, achieving a 15% gain in mobile network performance across the Tokai, Chugoku, and Kyushu regions, completing a 40-second optimization task that would take 27 hours classically, with production deployment planned. NTT Research launched the ZTDS quantum-resistant security suite.

During 2025, NTT expanded its IOWN initiative with quantum-secured communications, advanced quantum repeater research for long-distance quantum networks, and took part in implementing Japan's national quantum technology strategy. Update 2026-04-15: NTT and collaborators develop

NTT Data Corporation is a Japanese multinational information technology service and consulting company founded in 1967 and headquartered in Tokyo. Part of the NTT Group, it provides quantum computing services for enterprise clients, including quantum algorithm development, quantum consulting, and quantum software engineering.

NTT Data collaborates with quantum computing providers to offer quantum expertise and implementation services across industries, exploring applications for financial services, telecommunications, manufacturing, and the public sector. The company serves global enterprises that need quantum computing services and technology consulting, and it contributes to Japan's quantum technology ecosystem by advancing quantum software development and supporting enterprise quantum transformation for business optimization and computational advantage. Update 2025-06-30: NTT Data participated in the Quantum Datacenter Alliance Forum to discuss scaling quantum computing from prototypes to data center systems. Source: https://quantumzeitgeist.com/quantum-industry-alliance-seeks-to-scale-computing-beyond-lab-environment/

NTT Data

Nanofiber Quantum Technologies (NanoQT) is Japan's first startup focused on quantum computer hardware development. It uses a nanofiber-based Cavity QED (Quantum Electrodynamics) method to build universal quantum computers, drawing on more than a decade of engineering innovation to develop a proprietary nanofiber cavity. That cavity unlocks the advantage of cavity QED while staying compatible with optical fiber and existing quantum processing unit architectures.

The company's interconnect technology is engineered for neutral-atom QPUs and offers a path beyond per-unit scalability limits. NanoQT announced the first closing of its $14 million Series A financing, led by Phoenix Venture Partners, following more than $20 million in government R&D grants across Japan and the United States.

Nanofiber Quantum Technologies

OpenJij is an open-source heuristic optimization library for the Ising model and QUBO, developed by Jij Inc., a Japanese startup. It is led by Chief Engineer and CTO Kohji Nishimura, a faculty member of the Nishimori lab at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, and its goal is a unified annealing platform.

The library provides a high-speed simulated annealing solver for QUBO and Ising models, with a Python interface that makes it easy to combine with other optimization tools. It supports both simulated annealing and simulated quantum annealing, which helps research into quantum computing technologies. OpenJij is fully open source under the Apache License Version 2.0, is actively maintained on GitHub, and continued to be used in advanced quantum computing research in 2024.

Jij Inc. brings together experts in mathematical optimization and quantum technology, serving the energy value chain and a wide range of industries worldwide.

OpenJij

Panasonic Holdings Corporation is a Japanese multinational electronics company founded in 1918 and headquartered in Osaka, Japan. It explores quantum technologies including quantum materials for electronics, quantum computing research, and quantum sensor development, and it investigates quantum materials for advanced batteries and energy storage systems.

Panasonic collaborates with quantum research institutions and universities to advance quantum materials science, and it serves consumer electronics, automotive, industrial systems, and energy markets. Through its materials research and broader quantum technology exploration, the company contributes to Japan's quantum technology ecosystem and to the integration of quantum-enhanced materials in industrial systems.

Panasonic

QC Design is a Japanese quantum software company founded in 2021 that develops quantum circuit design tools and quantum algorithm development platforms. Its software covers quantum circuit optimization, quantum algorithm simulation, and quantum software development tools, with a focus on practical applications in chemistry, materials science, and optimization.

The company collaborates with Japanese quantum computing firms and research institutions to advance the country's quantum software ecosystem. It serves quantum researchers, software developers, and enterprises exploring quantum applications, contributing to Japan's quantum technology ecosystem and to wider quantum computing accessibility for scientific and industrial use.

QC Design

QIDO Platform (Quantum-Integrated Discovery Orchestrator) is a partnership between Mitsui, Quantinuum, and QSimulate for drug and materials discovery targeting catalysts, enzymes, batteries, and reaction mechanisms. The collaborative platform integrates quantum computing into discovery workflows. QIDO represents a major industrial initiative to apply quantum computing to materials science and drug development challenges with commercial and scientific value.

QIDO Platform

Qu-TES (Quantum Technology for Energy Security) focuses on quantum sensing technologies for energy applications, developing quantum sensors and measurement systems based on quantum technology. The Japanese company works on practical applications of quantum sensing for industrial and energy sector use cases, representing Japan's growing quantum technology ecosystem beyond quantum computing to include quantum sensing and metrology applications.

Qu-TES

QuEL is an Osaka University-affiliated startup established in 2021 that supplies novel qubit controllers for quantum computing researchers. The company develops advanced control electronics and software for precise qubit manipulation in quantum computers. QuEL's technology enables improved quantum gate fidelity and better overall quantum computer performance through sophisticated control systems.

QuEL

Quantum Biosystems is a Japanese research organization founded in 2013 that studies quantum effects in biological systems and develops applications in quantum biology. Its work investigates quantum phenomena in photosynthesis, enzyme catalysis, avian navigation, and neural processes.

The organization conducts research at the intersection of quantum physics and biology, exploring how quantum computing might be applied to biological modeling and drug discovery. It also publishes the research journal Quantum Biosystems to advance scientific understanding of quantum effects in living systems. Through this interdisciplinary work, Quantum Biosystems serves the scientific community studying quantum biology, quantum-enhanced biological modeling, and quantum computing in the life sciences, with potential applications in medicine, agriculture, and biotechnology.

Quantum Biosystems

Qubitcore is a Yokohama-based quantum computing startup, founded in July 2024 as a spinoff from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST). The company develops distributed quantum computing systems built on ion trap technology with photonic interconnects.

Led by CEO Ryuta Watanuki and CSO Prof. Takahashi, Qubitcore raised pre-seed funding in January 2025, and in April 2026 it raised a JPY 1.53 billion seed round led by SBI Investment, advancing Japan's first trapped ion quantum computer initiative. Its roadmap calls for a testbed system by 2028, a 1,000-qubit prototype by 2029, and commercial deployment by 2030. The company's R&D center sits at OIST in Okinawa, using the institute's research facilities. Through 2025, Qubitcore continued developing its distributed ion trap architecture, marking Japan's entry into trapped ion quantum computing.

Qubitcore

Quemix is an R&D venture focused on quantum technology across computing, communication, and sensors. A specified subsidiary of TerraSky Co., Ltd., it has consistently worked on algorithms that excel on fault-tolerant quantum computing (FTQC). The company offers Quloud, a cloud-based materials computation platform that provides access to leading materials computation software, and collaborates with academia and industry on work spanning material development, drug discovery, logistics, and entertainment.

In a collaboration with Honda R&D, Quemix developed the world's first technology to read out quantum states and carried out a practical calculation for materials development on a logical qubit using an actual quantum computer. JIC Venture Growth Investments acquired shares in Quemix through its JIC Venture Growth Fund 1. Update 2026-06-04: Quemix and Honda R&D jointly developed a quantum algorithm for exponentially faster Density Functional Theory calculations. Source: https://quantumzeitgeist.com/honda-quemix-dft-speedup-quantum/ Update 2026-06-02: Quemix, Toyota, and The University of Tokyo collaborated on a study to efficiently allocate tasks between classical and quantum computers for quantum chemistry calculations. Source: https://quantumzeitgeist.com/quantum-simulations-quemix-efficient-task/ Update 2026-06-02: Quemix developed a new technique called QAVG with Mitsui Kinzoku for Dynamical Mean-Field Theory calculations that reduces computational cost. Source: https://quantumzeitgeist.com/quemixs-qavg-suppresses-computational-cost/

Quemix

RIKEN, the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research, is Japan's largest comprehensive research institution and operates the RIKEN Center for Quantum Computing (RQC). It is a key partner with Fujitsu in Japan's quantum computing initiative.

In April 2025, RIKEN and Fujitsu launched a 256-qubit superconducting quantum computer and extended their partnership through March 2029, rolling out access to companies and research institutions worldwide. They plan a 1,000-qubit computer at Fujitsu Technology Park in 2026. Working with QIQB and Fujitsu, RIKEN also produced Japan's first fully domestically made quantum computer, including its dilution refrigerator.

RIKEN RQC is a core partner of the Q-STAR industry alliance, which has 112 member companies including Toyota, NEC, and Hitachi, and it is part of Japan's JPY 1.05 trillion national quantum investment strategy that designates 2025 as the first year of quantum industrialization. In 2025, IBM deployed a Quantum System with a 156-qubit Heron processor at RIKEN's Kobe facility, connected directly to the Fugaku supercomputer to create Japan's first quantum-HPC integrated system. In November 2025, NVIDIA announced 2,140 Blackwell GB200 GPUs for RIKEN, including 540 dedicated to quantum research, operational in spring 2026. RIKEN also partnered with Quantinuum on a hybrid quantum-supercomputing research platform. Update 2026-06-19: RIKEN launched the JHPC-quantum supercomputer named ROQUO to advance quantum-HPC hybrid computing. Source: https://quantumzeitgeist.com/nedo-funds-rikens-jhpc-quantum-gpu/ Update 2026-05-19: Researchers from the University of Tokyo and RIKEN achieved 40 picosecond switching in Mn3Sn. Source: https://quantumzeitgeist.com/riken-university-tokyo-hit-40ps/ Update 2026-01-13: RIKEN connected quantum computers with the Fugaku supercomputer using new software to enhance processing power. Source: https://quantumzeitgeist.com/riken-quantum-computers-quantum-computing/ Update 2025-11-13: Q-CTRL's Fire Op

RIKEN

RIKEN RQC-FUJITSU Collaboration Center is a joint research center that developed Japan's 256-qubit superconducting quantum computer in April 2025, scaling up from 64 qubits in 2023. This public-private partnership between Japan's premier research institute RIKEN and leading technology company Fujitsu represents Japan's national quantum computing program. The center focuses on developing both quantum hardware and algorithms for scientific computing and industrial applications, establishing Japan as a significant player in superconducting quantum computing.

RIKEN RQC-FUJITSU Collaboration Center

Rakuten Group Inc. is a Japanese electronic commerce and online retailing company founded in 1997 and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It also operates the Rakuten Mobile telecommunications service. The company explores quantum technologies through the Rakuten Institute of Technology, which conducts quantum computing research and quantum algorithm development.

Rakuten investigates quantum applications for e-commerce optimization, supply chain management, and telecommunications network optimization. It collaborates with quantum computing providers and research institutions to explore practical applications for business operations. Serving e-commerce, fintech, telecommunications, and digital content markets, Rakuten contributes to Japan's quantum technology ecosystem and supports quantum technology commercialization.

Rakuten

SoftBank Group Corp. is a Japanese multinational conglomerate founded in 1981 and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

SoftBank invests in quantum technology companies through the SoftBank Vision Fund and its corporate ventures, including quantum computing startups and quantum technology providers. Its telecommunications division explores quantum-safe security for mobile networks and quantum communications technologies. By supporting quantum startup growth and quantum technology development, SoftBank contributes to both the Japanese and global quantum technology ecosystem, representing Japanese technology investment in the quantum computing sector worldwide.

SoftBank

Sony Group Corporation is a Japanese multinational conglomerate founded in 1946 and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It explores quantum technologies including quantum sensing for imaging applications, quantum dot technologies, and quantum computing research, with Sony Computer Science Laboratories conducting quantum information research and quantum algorithm development.

The company investigates quantum sensors for advanced imaging systems and quantum-enhanced detection for consumer electronics, collaborating with quantum research institutions on practical applications in imaging, sensing, and computing. Serving consumer electronics, entertainment, imaging, and technology markets, Sony contributes to Japan's quantum technology ecosystem through quantum sensor development and quantum computing research for consumer and industrial applications.

Sony

Tokyo Quantum Computing develops integrated quantum hardware and software solutions combining superconducting quantum processors with quantum development tools and algorithms, focusing on advancing Japan's quantum computing capabilities through full-stack quantum systems for research institutions and commercial applications in optimization and machine learning.

Tokyo Quantum Computing

Toshiba Corporation's quantum-communications business, based at the Cambridge Research Laboratory in the UK and at Toshiba Digital Solutions in Japan, is the longest-running corporate QKD program. It began research in 1999 and now ships commercial products. The portfolio includes a Multiplexed QKD System that runs over the same fiber as conventional data and a Long-Distance QKD System for high-key-rate long-haul links. Toshiba is the QKD vendor behind BT's London metro network and JPMorgan Chase's Q-CAN production network.

In March 2025, Toshiba announced that its commercial QKD systems natively integrate NIST-standardized post-quantum cryptography, delivering crypto-agile defense-in-depth in a single product. In January 2026, the company unveiled a satellite-grade QKD transmitter-receiver system, with a ground demonstration showing interoperation with terrestrial fiber QKD. Update 2026-05-28: Toshiba developed the SMBC/TOSHIBA Quantum Diversified equity indices using quantum-driven technology for portfolio diversification. Source: https://quantumzeitgeist.com/quantum-based-indices-smbc-toshiba-forecast/ Update 2026-03-03: Toshiba announced a new capability to connect separate quantum key distribution networks globally. Source: https://quantumzeitgeist.com/toshiba-quantum-data-protection/

Toshiba Quantum

Toyota Motor Corporation is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer founded on August 28, 1937, and headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi. It serves the global automotive market.

In 2017, Toyota partnered with D-Wave Systems to explore quantum computer applications in next-generation vehicles. D-Wave worked with Toyota on a traffic-based problem involving optimization of a 4-way traffic light intersection, demonstrating quantum annealing for a real-world automotive application.

Toyota applies quantum computing to traffic flow optimization, real-time data calculations for electric charging stations, battery chemistry improvements, and machine learning algorithms for autonomous driving. The company also invests in quantum research for vehicle route optimization, supply chain management, manufacturing process optimization, and materials science. It collaborates with quantum computing companies to advance practical applications for electric vehicle development, autonomous driving, smart mobility, and sustainable transportation. Update 2026-06-16: ORCA Computing and Toyota Tsusho deployed a photonic quantum computer to an enterprise customer in Japan. Source: https://quantumzeitgeist.com/orca-toyota-tsusho-first-quantum/ Update 2026-06-02: Toyota collaborated with Quemix and The University of Tokyo on a study detailing efficient task allocation between classical and quantum computers for quantum chemistry calculations. Source: https://quantumzeitgeist.com/quantum-simulations-quemix-efficient-task/ Update 2026-01-14: Toyota reduced AI compute time by 80% using quantum reservoir computing in a study by ORCA Computing. Source: https://quantumzeitgeist.com/toyota-quantum-computing-compute-reduction/

Toyota

ULVAC is developing next-generation dilution refrigerators specifically for quantum computing in partnership with IBM, with deployment planned for 2026. The company installed its first system supporting Japan's fully domestic quantum computer at Osaka University in April 2025, achieving stable 10 mK temperatures with modular architecture suitable for both research and scalable quantum systems. ULVAC's partnership with IBM includes testing at IBM's quantum data center in Poughkeepsie, New York, advancing the global supply chain for cryogenic quantum equipment.

ULVAC

ULVAC CRYOGENICS INC. is a Japanese company developing next-generation dilution refrigerators for quantum computers with input from IBM, strengthening Japan's domestic supply of the cryogenic systems that quantum research and commercialization depend on. ULVAC runs evaluation tests in collaboration with IBM, including testing at IBM's quantum data center in Poughkeepsie, New York, with industry deployment scheduled for early 2026.

The system maintains cryogenic temperatures at the 10mK level, uses a scalable modular design suited to future large-scale quantum environments, and relies on in-house manufacturing of core components including dilution refrigerators, pulse-tube cryocoolers, and vacuum components. In April 2025, ULVAC installed a dilution refrigerator at the University of Osaka Center for Quantum Information and Quantum Biology, supporting Japan's first fully domestically built quantum computer. The company is establishing a domestic production framework to reduce dependence on overseas manufacturers.

ULVAC CRYOGENICS

The University of Tokyo is a public research university founded in 1877 and located in Tokyo, Japan, and it is the most prestigious university in the country. It conducts quantum research across multiple departments and research centers, covering quantum computing, quantum materials, quantum optics, and quantum information science.

University of Tokyo researchers contribute to quantum algorithm development, quantum error correction, quantum hardware, and quantum applications. The university collaborates with industry partners, including Japanese quantum companies and international quantum institutions, and has produced numerous quantum technology spinouts.

Through fundamental research, education programs, and technology transfer, the university advances quantum information science and helps position Japan as a quantum technology leader in Asia. Update 2026-06-02: The University of Tokyo collaborated with Quemix and Toyota on a study detailing guidelines for combining classical and quantum computational methods for quantum chemistry calculations. Source: https://quantumzeitgeist.com/quantum-simulations-quemix-efficient-task/ Update 2026-05-19: Researchers from the University of Tokyo and RIKEN achieved 40 picosecond switching in Mn3Sn. Source: https://quantumzeitgeist.com/riken-university-tokyo-hit-40ps/

University of Tokyo

Yaqumo is a Tokyo-based startup developing scalable neutral-atom quantum computers. The first Japanese company backed by Quantonation, Europe's leading deep-tech quantum VC. Received seed extension from Quantonation II FPCI (a $350M quantum-focused fund) in April 2026. Earlier, in August 2025, Yaqumo raised a JPY 700M seed round, and in January 2026 it signed a memorandum of understanding with Singapore's Entropica Labs on fault-tolerant quantum error correction.

Yaqumo

NEC Quantum is NEC Corporation's quantum computing division, focused on quantum annealing architectures. NEC developed the world's first Leschhorn-Hauke-Zoller (LHZ) scheme unit cell for scalable, fully-connected quantum annealing using superconducting parametron qubits, a key step toward large-scale combinatorial optimization. NEC is partnering with Fujitsu and Hitachi to form a consortium targeting a commercial high-speed quantum computer by 2030, combining Japanese industrial giant expertise for domestic and global quantum applications.

Quantum Computing Companies in Japan