IBM and RIKEN have announced the deployment of the first IBM Quantum System Two outside the United States, marking a significant milestone in quantum computing. This system is co-located with RIKEN's supercomputer Fugaku, which is recognized as one of the most powerful classical systems globally. The initiative is supported by Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) under a project aimed at enhancing infrastructures for post-5G information and communications systems.

The IBM Quantum System Two at RIKEN operates using IBM's 156-qubit Heron processor, noted for its high performance. The Heron processor exhibits a two-qubit error rate significantly improved from previous models and offers enhanced speed measured by circuit layer operations per second (CLOPS). With these capabilities, it surpasses brute-force simulations possible on classical computers.

Located within the RIKEN Center for Computational Science, this quantum computer integrates closely with Fugaku through a high-speed network. This setup enables engineers to develop new computational approaches that combine both quantum and classical systems' strengths effectively.

The official launch took place on June 24, 2025, in Kobe, Japan. Notable speakers included RIKEN President Makoto Gonokami; Jay Gambetta from IBM; Akio Yamaguchi of IBM Japan; alongside local government representatives and officials from METI, NEDO, and MEXT.

Jay Gambetta expressed enthusiasm about this advancement stating, "The future of computing is quantum-centric and with our partners at RIKEN we are taking a big step forward to make this vision a reality." Dr. Mitsuhisa Sato highlighted RIKEN's ambition to lead Japan into an era of advanced computing through combining Fugaku with the new quantum system.

This development aims to further research into algorithms that provide quantum advantages over traditional methods. Recent collaborative work between RIKEN and IBM demonstrated progress in accurately modeling complex chemical structures using sample-based quantum diagonalization techniques.

RIKEN continues its tradition as Japan's largest research institute across multiple scientific disciplines. More information about their work can be found on their website. Similarly, IBM maintains its role as a leader in cloud solutions and AI technologies globally, supporting numerous industries through its innovative platforms.

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