Japanese industrial technology giant Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501) has been selected by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) to lead a major government-backed R&D initiative aimed at transitioning silicon spin-qubit quantum computers from academic demonstrations to mass-manufacturable industrial infrastructure.
The project—titled “Accelerating the Development and Demonstration of Next-Generation Quantum Computers to Solve Social Challenges”—will run through March 2029. Proposed jointly with Intel K.K. (Intel’s Japanese subsidiary), the initiative will leverage AIST’s Global Research and Development Center for Business by Quantum-AI Technology (G-QuAT) to establish an open cloud-computing platform and fabrication ecosystem for silicon quantum hardware.
Leveraging Intel 18A Foundry for High-Yield Qubit Manufacturing
Silicon spin qubits offer a compelling path to fault-tolerant quantum computing (FTQC) because they can leverage existing semiconductor manufacturing facilities and extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) lithography tools. However, bridging the gap between small laboratory prototypes and fault-tolerant, million-qubit systems requires overcoming device-to-device performance variations and complex wiring bottlenecks.
To address these manufacturing hurdles, Hitachi and Intel are integrating four key development tracks:
- Intel 18A Process & Qubit PDK: Hitachi will design 100+ qubit processor chips utilizing Intel’s 18A process technology and Intel’s specialized Process Design Kit (PDK) for quantum devices, enabling standard foundry design rules and reducing device variability.
- Low-Power Cryogenic Packaging: Developing specialized IC packaging and low-temperature control circuits that minimize control wiring requirements and thermal heat loads within dilution refrigerators.
- 3D High-Density Integration: Engineering 3D packaging technologies to interlink control electronics and qubit chips at narrow pitches, establishing the foundation for scaling to 1,000+ qubit arrays.
- Cloud Platform Integration via AIST: Building a cloud-accessible research environment hosted at G-QuAT to allow external software developers and research teams to run experimental workloads on silicon qubit testbeds.
Commercial Execution Timeline
Hitachi’s strategic roadmap outlines clear technical and commercial milestones:
- FY2027: Launch of the initial cloud-based experimental service via G-QuAT for external researchers and corporate partners.
- FY2028: Delivery of a prototype 100-qubit silicon quantum computer implementing quantum error-correcting (QEC) codes.
- FY2030: Realization of a 1,000-qubit scale, 3D-integrated silicon quantum processing platform.
The project builds upon Hitachi’s existing quantum R&D initiatives, including its participation in Japan’s Cabinet Office Moonshot R&D Program (Goal 6) and joint research with RIKEN and imec. By pairing Intel’s commercial foundry capabilities with AIST’s supercomputing-quantum hybrid infrastructure, Hitachi aims to expand its core Lumada digital services portfolio and address complex optimization challenges across pharmaceuticals, materials science, and energy logistics.
Download the official executive press announcement via Hitachi Global here.
July 22, 2026