Toward the Development of a Practical Large-Scale Fault-Tolerant Quantum ComputerEstablishment of “Yaqumo Inc.”

On April 1, Yaqumo Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Kazuhiro Nakashoji), was founded by members of Professor Yoshiro Takahashi’s research group at Kyoto University (Kyoto, President: Nagahiro Minato, hereafter “Kyoto University”) and Professor Kenji Ohmori’s research group at the Institute for Molecular Science (Okazaki, Aichi; Director: Yoshito Watanabe, hereafter “IMS”), a member institute of the National Institutes of Natural Sciences. By combining the world-class research achievements of both laboratories, Yaqumo aims to deliver large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers that can be applied to practical fields.

Quantum computers, the next generation of computing devices based on the principles of quantum mechanics, are expected to efficiently solve problems that are difficult or impossible for conventional computers. Various implementation approaches for quantum computers are being pursued worldwide, and the race for development is intensifying. However, challenges remain, such as scaling up systems and efficiently addressing errors that occur during computation. In recent years, the “cold atom (neutral atom) approach,” which uses laser-cooled neutral atoms as qubits, has attracted significant attention from academia, industry, and government as a groundbreaking method expected to overcome these challenges.

Professor Ohmori of IMS and Professor Takahashi of Kyoto University have been leading the research and development of quantum computers using the cold atom approach under Goal 6 of the Japanese Cabinet Office’s ambitious Moonshot Research and Development Program: “By 2050, realize a fault-tolerant, general-purpose quantum computer that will dramatically advance the economy, industry, and security.” Their work has produced world-leading results in this field.

The Takahashi Laboratory at Kyoto University pioneered laser cooling techniques for ytterbium atoms, which possess properties advantageous for quantum computation. Recently, the lab developed foundational technology that uses two isotopes of ytterbium—one for computational qubits and the other for error-detection qubits—enabling high-precision computation and readout.

The Ohmori Laboratory at IMS possesses advanced technologies such as high-precision optical tweezer arrays for preparing large numbers of qubits and ultrafast quantum entanglement generation using pulsed lasers. The lab also excels in designing system architectures that integrally control the various devices required for quantum computers.

Building on the foundational technologies of both laboratories, Yaqumo is dedicated to developing domestically produced quantum computers using the cold atom (neutral atom) approach. The company aims to construct practical machines equipped with large-scale error correction capabilities—an essential step toward the realization of practical quantum computers. To achieve this goal, Yaqumo will promote collaboration with industry in hardware development, applied research, and service deployment.