Public and private to research on quantum technology – a council with 50 companies including government and Toyota

Recently Nihon Keizai Shimbun Electronic Edition reported the following:

量子技術を官民で研究　政府、トヨタなど50社と協議会

政治

2021年5月5日 2:00 (2021年5月5日 5:30更新) [有料会員限定]

日本が強みを持つ量子通信・暗号技術は安全保障の優位性にも直結する（量子コンピューター向けに設置された希釈冷凍機）

政府は産業界と組み、情報処理や通信に使う量子技術の共同研究に乗り出す。5月中にもトヨタ自動車や東芝、NECなど50社ほどが参加する協議会を立ち上げる。国家主導で大規模な投資を進める米国や中国が世界で先行する。日本が強みを持つ量子通信・暗号技術は安全保障の優位性にも直結するため、官民挙げて実用化を急ぐ。

量子技術は特殊な物理法則である量子力学を高速計算や通信に利用するものだ。コンピューターの処理能力を飛躍的に向上させられる。

安保上の重要性は高く、米中など各国が力を注いでいる。通信・暗号の安全性の確保や情報収集・分析の能力に大きく関わる。素材など先端技術の開発能力も左右する。

日本は特に量子通信・暗号の研究で一定の影響力を持つ。この分野のハードウエア関連の特許件数は東芝が世界首位で、NECやNTTも上位につける。情報を盗み見できず安全性の高い「量子インターネット」を構成する要素になる。

協議会は富士通や日立製作所、NTTグループなども加わる見通しだ。2022年中に法人にする計画や、ファンド（基金）をつくって投資活動に携わる案もある。

日本は一部の研究で優位に立つ一方で、実際のインフラ整備を目指す動きは中国が先んじる。中国は北京と上海の間に2千キロメートルに及ぶ量子暗号の通信網をすでに構築している。

協議会には国内勢の知見を組み合わせて実用化につなげる狙いがある。他社と協力して技術を新たな商品やサービスに応用する契機になる。政府にとっても情報を集約できれば国家戦略を立てやすくなる。専門性の高い人材の裾野を広げる役割も担う。

官民連携には企業の期待も大きい。富士通で量子コンピューター開発の責任者を務める佐藤信太郎氏は「一企業で網羅的に取り組むのは困難だ」と指摘する。「どの点と限定することなく、広く産官学と連携したい」と強調する。

日立製作所は「量子技術は中長期視野での研究投資が必要になる」と分析する。NECは「同業者との議論が多く、分野の異なる専門家との議論はあまり機会がない」と回答した。

協議会は複数の専門部会を設ける。分野ごとに基礎研究の蓄積を融合させ、開発を深める。

量子技術を使った高速計算の活用にも期待がある。物質同士の組み合わせに関する情報処理が速くなるため、新しい薬や素材の開発の効率が高まると見込む。新たな産業の創出に役立てられるとの構想を描く。

官民は協議会を通じ、国産の量子コンピューターの開発を急ぐ。高度な人工知能（AI）や新しい金融商品づくりなどに応用できる。

ゲノムも短い時間で解析できるようになり、生体データの蓄積が進む。医療分野の技術開発に直結する。より効率的な物流・交通網を探る研究にも取り組む。

海外では政府と産業界が組んで量子技術に関するファンドを作る事例が相次ぐ。米政府は20年に6億ドル程度を投じて複数の国立研究所に量子技術の研究拠点を設ける構想を打ち出した。

日本政府は20年に量子技術に関する戦略をまとめ、開発を後押しする方針を示した。

量子コンピューター技術に強い米国との連携も視野に入れる。経済安保の観点から中国の技術的な台頭に対抗する。

4月16日の菅義偉首相とバイデン米大統領の首脳会談でも量子技術について意見交換した。共同声明で「量子科学の研究や技術開発で競争力を強化するため連携する」と明記した。

加藤勝信官房長官は記者会見で「量子技術は産業政策の観点からも戦略的に対応すべき分野だ」と言及した。「産学官が一体となって量子技術を用いた新たな産業を創出していきたい」とも語った。

Translation 

Quantum communication and cryptography, which Japan had strengths in, were directly linked to security advantages (dilution refrigerator installed for quantum computers).

The government would collaborate with the industry world to embark on a joint research on quantum technologies used for information processing and communications. Also in May, a council would be set up in which about 50 companies such as Toyota, Toshiba and NEC would participate. The United States and China, which were making large-scale investments led by the state, were ahead of the rest of the world. As quantum communication and cryptography, which Japan had strengths in, were directly linked to the superiority of security, the public and private sectors were rushing to put them into practical use.

Quantum technology used quantum mechanics, which was a special physical law, for high-speed calculations and communications. The processing power of the computer could be dramatically improved.

The importance of security was high, and individual country such as the United States and China were focusing on it. It was greatly related to ensuring the security of communication and encryption; and also the ability to collect and analyze information. It also affected the ability to develop advanced technologies in making materials etc. 

Japan, especially in quantum communication and cryptography research had some influence. Toshiba had the highest number of hardware-related patents in this field in the world, and NEC and NTT also ranked high. It was an element that constituted a highly secure "quantum Internet" so that information could not be stolen.

This council was expected to include Fujitsu, Hitachi, and NTT Group. There were also plans to make it a corporation by the end of 2022, and to create a fund to engage in investment activities.

While Japan had an advantage in some research, China was ahead in a move towards its actual infrastructure development. China had already built a 2,000-kilometer quantum cryptography network between Beijing and Shanghai.

The council aimed to combine the knowledge of domestic forces to put it into practical use. It could be an opportunity to apply the technology to new products and services in cooperation with other companies. If information could be aggregated for the government, it would be easier to formulate a national strategy. It also played a role in expanding the base of the highly specialized human resources.

Companies had high expectations for public-private partnerships. Shintaro Sato, who was in charge of the quantum computer development at Fujitsu, pointed out that "it is difficult for a single company to work exhaustively." He emphasized that "I want to collaborate widely with the industry, government, and academia without restriction in any point."

Hitachi analyzed that "quantum technology requires research investment from a medium- to long-term perspective." NEC replied that "There are many discussions with peers, and there are not many opportunities for discussions with experts in different fields."

The council would have multiple specialized subcommittees. A collection based on research done in each field would be fused together, and development would be deepened.

There were also expectations for the practical application of high-speed calculations that would make use of quantum technology. It was expected that the efficiency of developing new drugs and materials could increase because information processing regarding the combination of substances would be faster.  A concept was sketched out that it might be useful for creating new industries.

The public and private sectors would accelerate the development of domestic quantum computers through this council. Their applications would include advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and the creation of new financial products.

The genome could be analyzed in a short time, and the accumulation of biological data would progress.  It might directly link to the technological development in the medical field. It could also work on a research to find more efficient logistics and transportation networks.

Overseas, there were a number of cases in which the government and industry had teamed up to create a fund related to quantum technology. The US government in 2020 announced a plan to invest about 600 million dollars to set up some research bases for quantum technology in multiple national laboratories.

In 2020, the Japanese government put together a strategy for quantum technology and announced a policy to support its development.

Cooperation with the United States that was strong in quantum computer technology would be considered. China's technological rise would be competed from an economic security perspective.

At the summit meeting between Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and US President Joe Biden on April 16, views on quantum technology were exchanged. The joint statement stated that "we will work together to strengthen our competitiveness in quantum science research and technological development."

Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said at a press conference that "quantum technology is a field that should be strategically addressed from the perspective of industrial policy." He also said, "I hope that industry, academia and government can work together to create a new industry using quantum technology."

              So, Japan will cooperate with the United States in quantum technology development. China's technological rise would be competed by the US and Japan.