As China and Europe struggle to compete, IBM brings ‘Utility-scale’ Quantum Computing to Japan

IBM announced the installation of a 127-quantum quantum computing system at the University of Tokyo on November 27. According to the company, this marks the arrival of the first “utility-scale” quantum system in the region.

[Article] University of Tokyo Completes Installation of 127-Qubit IBM Quantum Eagle Processor https://t.co/TrFAnEQ3wq

— Utokyo | University of Tokyo (@UTokyo_News_en) November 27, 2023

Dubbed “Quantum System One” by IBM and featuring the company's Eagle processor, the system was installed as part of an ongoing research partnership between Japan and IBM. According to a blog post from IBM, it will be used for research in a variety of fields, including bioinformatics, materials science and finance.

University of Tokyo Executive Vice President Per Hiroaki Aihara:

“For the first time outside of North America, a quantum computer with a 127-qubit processor is now exclusively used by QII members… By advancing research in various fields and realizing the social applications of quantum-related technologies, we aim to contribute to a diverse and promising future society at large.”

While Japan and the University of Tokyo are reaping the benefits of working with a US quantum computing partner, China's second largest tech giant Alibaba has reportedly decided to close its own quantum computing lab and donate the equipment to Zhejiang University.

Local media reports indicate that Alibaba's move is a cost-cutting measure and that dozens of employees associated with the quantum research lab have been laid off. This follows the cancellation of a planned cloud computing spinoff earlier this month, and Alibaba said a partial US ban on computer chip shipments to China contributed to the “uncertainty”.

Related: US officials confirm military concerns over China's access to cloud technology

According to estimates by Fortune Business Insights, the quantum computing sector is expected to grow to over $5.5 billion between 2023 and 2030. This has caused some experts to worry about the state of quantum computer research outside of the US and China.

Koen Bertels, founder of quantum computing accelerator QBee and professor at Ghent University in Belgium, recently opined that Europe has lost the artificial intelligence race and cannot afford to lose to quantum computing.

“Besides being behind in funding, talent, and strategy,” Bertels writes, “Europe does not compete with America alone.”