News On Japan

Quantum Computer Begins Operation at RIKEN

KOBE, Jun 25 (News On Japan) - A state-of-the-art IBM quantum computer, one of the world’s most advanced models and the first of its kind installed outside the United States, has begun operation at RIKEN in Kobe, where it will be integrated with Japan's Fugaku supercomputer to advance hybrid computing research.

Quantum computers are believed to perform calculations dramatically faster than conventional computers by leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics. However, their practical applications remain limited to specific fields, and research is ongoing to expand their capabilities.

RIKEN plans to integrate the quantum computer with its supercomputer Fugaku, aiming to combine the strengths of both systems to overcome each other's limitations.

RIKEN President Makoto Gonokami stated: "By connecting with supercomputer Fugaku, we will build the world’s most powerful environment and take on the challenge of pioneering hybrid computing."

This marks the first time such a quantum computer has been installed outside the United States. The integration with Fugaku is expected to begin as early as July.

Source: YOMIURI

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

As of early on October 7th, Typhoon No. 22 (Halong) was moving northwest along the southern edge of the Pacific high-pressure system. It is expected to continue following the periphery of the high, gradually shifting its path northward before turning eastward around October 9th. Meteorological agencies forecast that by October 8th it will shift more northward before curving eastward, likely reaching its peak intensity around October 9th. As the system moves over warm waters favorable for development, it is projected to become a “strong” typhoon by October 7th and further intensify into a “very strong” system by October 9th.

Train services on the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line remained suspended throughout the day on October 6th following a derailment the previous night, leaving commuters and students stranded and forcing many to queue for hours for replacement buses. In areas along the line, long lines formed at bus stops, and rental electric kick scooters quickly ran out as residents searched for alternative transport options.

Osaka University’s Shimon Sakaguchi, a specially appointed professor, has been awarded this year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his groundbreaking work in immunology. Sakaguchi is best known for discovering “regulatory T cells,” a type of immune cell that suppresses excessive immune responses, a finding that has had far-reaching implications in medical science.

A collision occurred on the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line on the night of October 5th when a local train attempting to arrive at Kajigaya Station in Kawasaki City struck a stationary out-of-service train, causing several cars of the latter to derail. Investigators from the Japan Transport Safety Board arrived at the scene on the morning of October 6th to begin examining the cause of the accident.

A Spanish tourist was attacked by a bear while visiting Shirakawa-go, the UNESCO World Heritage village in Gifu Prefecture known for its traditional thatched-roof houses, on October 5th. The incident adds to a growing number of bear encounters reported across Japan in recent weeks.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Sci-Tech NEWS

A future where people control machines simply by thinking may be closer than science fiction suggests. At the forefront of this research is Masayuki Hirata, a neurosurgeon and specially appointed professor at Osaka University’s Graduate School of Medicine, who is developing a brain-computer interface (BCI) that allows high-tech devices such as smartphones or robotic arms to be operated by thought.

Vast hillsides have been cleared for the construction of a large-scale solar power facility in Kamogawa, Chiba Prefecture, leaving piles of felled trees scattered across the slopes. The development covers approximately 146 hectares, or the size of 32 Tokyo Domes, and involves cutting down about 365,000 trees to make way for 470,000 solar panels.

A massive tornado-like phenomenon was observed late in the morning of October 2nd off the coast of Tsuruoka in Yamagata Prefecture’s Shonai region, with thick swirling clouds rising high into the sky as seawater was drawn upward.

The Okinawa region experienced record-breaking heat in September, with average temperatures 1.6 degrees Celsius above normal, the highest since records began.

A new study has shed light on the lingering condition known as brain fog, one of the most troubling aftereffects of Covid-19. Researchers at Yokohama City University found that patients experiencing this symptom showed higher levels of a key brain protein compared to healthy individuals, suggesting a potential pathway for future treatment.

Across Japan, water rates are being raised as aging infrastructure and population decline place mounting pressure on municipal waterworks, with a survey by Tokai TV revealing that many operators see no path forward without structural change, prompting new approaches that go beyond conventional frameworks to address what is being called a water crisis.

Saudi Arabia is advancing its national project Vision 2030 to achieve a post-oil society by the end of the decade, with the Riyadh Expo positioned as its grand culmination, and Japan is aiming to secure a foothold in the initiative by providing technologies such as decarbonization systems and expertise in hosting world expos, while also looking to translate this involvement into domestic economic growth.

Ishikawa Prefecture has surpassed Fukui Prefecture in total land area after a significant increase caused by coastal uplift triggered by the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake, according to the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan.