Quantum information science and technology in Japan

Abstract

We review the national projects on quantum information science and technology in Japan over the past 30 years. The main funding agencies for this field have been the Japan Science and Technology Agency, the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, and the Cabinet Office of the Government of Japan. The total investment in the quantum information science and technology field from these funding agencies for the past 15 years amounts to US$250 million. A similar amount of investment has been put in parallel by industry. As a result, new science frontiers have been created, and some service prototypes, such as quantum key distribution systems and coherent Ising machines, have been delivered to user premises. Recently, Japan has launched new initiatives to advance quantum information science and technology to the next phase, and to make full use of them for the resolution of societal problems.