In the U.S., IBM and RIKEN unveil the first IBM Quantum System Two.
With IBM Quantum System Two co-deployed alongside Fugaku Architecture, researchers can now harness the combined strength of quantum and classical supercomputing for complex scientific breakthroughs.
IBM has launched its first IBM Quantum System Two outside the U.S., marking a worldwide milestone for quantum technology and promising to transform high-performance computing. Kobe employs an advanced quantum computer alongside RIKEN, Japan’s top scientific agency. On June 24, 2025, the system was unveiled.
First IBM Quantum System Two deployments outside a Quantum Data Centre are co-located with RIKEN’s Fugaku supercomputer, the world’s most powerful conventional computer. Pushing the boundaries of what is being referred to as “quantum-centric supercomputing,” the combination of these two enormous computational powers is intended to improve overall computational capabilities and accuracy.
Fugaku Architecture
The Arm-based A64FX processor is the foundation of the Japanese supercomputer Fugaku, which was created by RIKEN and Fujitsu. It is the first supercomputer using this architecture to rank at the top of the world rankings. With more than 150,000 nodes, a 48-core processor, and a large memory bandwidth, its architecture prioritises high-performance computing. The Tofu Interconnect D mesh network in Fugaku’s architecture enables smooth communication between nodes, which makes it perfect for AI workloads and scientific simulations. It is an essential tool for developments in drug discovery, climate modelling, and other domains needing enormous processing power because of its well-balanced design, which produces remarkable computational and energy efficiency.
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This co-location is extremely important because of the intricate connection between the quantum and classical devices. A high-speed network at the basic instruction level makes the systems a “proving ground for quantum-centric supercomputing”. In order to create sophisticated parallelised workloads, low-latency classical-quantum communication protocols, and sophisticated compilation passes and libraries, engineers from RIKEN and IBM are enabled by this low-level integration.
This complex relationship ultimately aims to allow both the quantum and classical computing paradigms to easily carry out the portions of an algorithm for which they are most appropriate, utilising their unique advantages for peak performance. The goal of this hybrid technique is to expedite the study of sophisticated algorithms, including those for basic chemistry problems.
This 156-qubit IBM Quantum Heron processor is the brain of the new IBM Quantum System Two at RIKEN. Heron’s remarkable quality and speed metrics have earned it the title of most performant quantum processor in the world and recognition as IBM’s best-performing quantum processor to date.
The Heron processor’s two-qubit error rate is 3×10^-3 on a 100-qubit multilayer circuit, which is impressive. Its best two-qubit error rate is 1×10^-3. When compared to its predecessor, the IBM Quantum Eagle processor with 127 qubits, this is a ten-fold improvement.
Speed: Heron reaches 250,000 circuit layer operations per second, or CLOPS, as measured by this statistic. Compared to the IBM Eagle CPU, this is still another ten-fold improvement in the last 12 months. These sophisticated criteria, along with the Heron processor’s 156-qubit scale, enable it to perform quantum circuits that are not achievable by brute-force simulations on even the most potent classical computers.
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It is impossible to overestimate this initiative’s strategic relevance. Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO), which is a division of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), provides vital support. In particular, the “Development of Integrated Utilisation Technology for Quantum and Supercomputers” project, which is a part of the larger “Project for Research and Development of Enhanced Infrastructures for Post 5G Information and Communications Systems,” is the conduit for this funding.
Financial analysts see this deployment as a strategic investment by IBM to increase its capacity for quantum computing on a worldwide scale. This action is expected to open up new of income and lead to collaborations, especially in areas like Asia where governments show strong technology support.
A growing interest in quantum technologies throughout Asia may spur greater acceptance and innovation in the region, according to market research analysts, who also stress that the introduction of the IBM Quantum System Two in Japan represents a turning point in the development of quantum computing. IBM’s leadership in the field of quantum computing is solidified by this, which may have an impact on market dynamics and inspire other tech firms to undertake similarly innovative projects.
Accelerating the finding of “quantum advantage”, the point at which a quantum computer can solve a problem more effectively than any known classical method, is one of the collaboration’s main goals. Prior collaborations between RIKEN and IBM have demonstrated promise in this field, including a study published in Science Advances. Iron sulphides are a complex system that was previously believed to require fault-tolerant quantum computers for realistic modelling; nevertheless, their study of sample-based quantum diagonalization (SQD) approaches precisely models the electronic structure of these systems. This demonstrated how near-term quantum computers can yield substantial scientific benefits when combined with strong classical infrastructure.
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But there are some challenges on the way forward. The complexity of combining quantum and classical systems can pose technical difficulties and require significant resources, according to authorities. Given that present quantum systems are still mostly in the early stages of research, attaining a practical quantum advantage is also still a long-term objective.
Despite these obstacles, CEOs from both companies were incredibly hopeful. IBM Quantum VP Jay Gambetta said, “With the collaborators at RIKEN, they are taking a huge step forward to make this vision a reality. The future of computing is quantum-centric… By connecting to Fugaku and using the most recent Heron CPU, the new IBM Quantum System Two will enable engineers and scientists to push the boundaries of what is feasible.
RIKEN-CCS Quantum-HPC Hybrid Platform Division Director Dr. Mitsuhisa Sato, echoed this view, saying, “RIKEN hopes to guide Japan into a new age of high-performance computing by integrating Fugaku and the IBM Quantum System Two. The goal is to create and illustrate workable quantum-HPC hybrid workflows that industry and academia can jointly investigate. These two systems’ relationship lets us take crucial steps towards this aim.
Japanese government backing for IBM and RIKEN’s quantum technologies and high-performance computing collaboration shows their shared commitment.
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