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Japan begins operation of Ei-II domestic quantum computer to ensure continuous service availability
Thursday, March 26, 2026 at 11:00 AM
RIKEN and its partners have launched the second domestic Japanese quantum computer, named 'Ei-II'. By operating alongside the first-generation machine, the facility can now provide continuous quantum computing services without maintenance-related interruptions, strengthening Japan's computing infrastructure.
Context
On March 26, 2026, Japan officially commenced operations of Ei-II, its newest domestic superconducting quantum computer. Developed through a collaboration led by RIKEN and Fujitsu, the system is designed to work in tandem with the original Ei machine to ensure high availability and uninterrupted cloud service for researchers. This launch marks a critical step in Japan’s ¥130 billion quantum initiative, which aims to transition the technology from basic research to industrial application.
The deployment of Ei-II follows a series of breakthroughs in the RIKEN-Fujitsu partnership, including the development of a 64-qubit architecture and recent software innovations that reduce the computational resources required for chemical simulations by up to 80x. By providing a stable, dual-system infrastructure, Japan seeks to accelerate domestic R&D in drug discovery and material science, reducing reliance on foreign quantum cloud platforms.
This development is part of a broader national strategy to achieve fault-tolerant universal quantum computing by 2050. With the government designating 2025 as the first year of quantum industrialization, the operationalization of Ei-II provides the necessary hardware redundancy to support a growing ecosystem of hybrid quantum-high performance computing (HPC) workflows alongside the Fugaku supercomputer.
Sources (11)
Awards on research activities | Fujitsu GlobalOn-Chip Verified Quantum Computation with an Ion-Trap ...Japan’s first homemade quantum computer goes online | RIKENAnnual ReportQuantum Technology MonitorMB90F342CSPF - Fujitsu Quantum Devices LimitedThe first “exascale” supercomputer Fugaku & beyondAverage PC Specs for Low, Medium, and High-End PCs of late 1998 - early 1999 \
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