Fujitsu and RIKEN announced the development of a 256-qubit superconducting quantum computer at the RIKEN RQC-FUJITSU Collaboration Center, expanding on their previous 64-qubit system introduced in 2023 under Japan’s Quantum Leap Flagship Program (Q-LEAP). The new machine, designed to support broader applications in fields such as molecular analysis and error correction research, will become available to companies and research institutions globally in the first quarter of fiscal 2025 as part of Fujitsu and RIKEN’s hybrid quantum computing platform. This development marks a substantial increase in computational capabilities within the same platform, offering users an upgraded environment to advance quantum research and applications.
Technically, the 256-qubit system introduces a scalable 3D connection structure, arranging 4-qubit unit cells in a three-dimensional configuration that builds directly on the architecture used in the 64-qubit version. This method enables efficient qubit scaling without complex redesigns. Additionally, the team achieved a quadrupled implementation density within the dilution refrigerator, allowing the larger system to operate within the same cooling unit as the previous machine. Careful thermal design balances heat generation from control circuits with the refrigerator’s cooling capacity while preserving the necessary ultra-high vacuum and ultra-low temperature conditions critical for superconducting qubit operation.
The successful expansion to 256 qubits supports future efforts to realize practical quantum computing through hybrid quantum-classical algorithms. Fujitsu and RIKEN plan to continue their collaboration with the goal of developing a 1,000-qubit superconducting quantum computer by 2026. The organizations also announced the extension of their Collaboration Center’s operation until March 2029 to pursue long-term research on scalable quantum technologies, further positioning Japan as a significant contributor to quantum computing advancements.
Read the full announcement here, view the press conference materials here, and watch the on-demand presentation video here.
April 22, 2025
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