January 21, 2026 -- The Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre, through CSIRO, has signed a Letter of Intent with the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), acting through its Global Research and Development Center for Business by Quantum-AI technology (G-QuAT), establishing a framework for integrating quantum computing capabilities with high-performance computing infrastructure.

The agreement marks another milestone in Australia-Japan scientific cooperation and coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between Australia and Japan. The collaboration leverages Pawsey’s leadership in HPC infrastructure and quantum systems integration with G-QuAT’s expertise in quantum computing technologies and quantum-AI convergence.

Strategic Objectives and Framework

The four primary objectives lined up on the agreement are:

• Encourage joint research activities in quantum computing: The collaboration will facilitate collaborative research projects focusing on quantum algorithm development, supercomputing quantum computing hybrid architectures, and applications across scientific domains. Research emphasis includes near-term quantum computing applications, quantum simulation, and quantum machine learning integration with HPC workflows.
• Build long-term collaboration toward social implementation: The agreement aims to advance the practical deployment of quantum computing technologies, contributing to the development of a robust international quantum ecosystem in both Japan and Australia. This includes establishing best practices for quantum-HPC integration and creating pathways for broader quantum uptake.
• Encourage exchange of information and materials: The agreement facilitates knowledge transfer through organization of seminars, symposiums, workshops, and technical discussions. Conducted under separate arrangements, these activities will enable researchers and students from both institutions to collaborate on quantum computing challenges and share emerging research findings.
• Identify additional collaboration opportunities: The framework provides flexibility to expand into emerging areas of mutual interest as quantum computing technologies mature.

Quantum-HPC Integration: Technical Approach

The collaboration focuses on integrating quantum computing capabilities with high-performance computing infrastructure as a practical pathway toward quantum advantage.

This hybrid quantum–HPC approach is centred on developing seamless workflows that allow researchers to incorporate quantum resources into existing HPC scheduling systems and scientific pipelines with minimal code changes.

Research efforts also explore how complex computational problems can be intelligently decomposed, assigning quantum-advantageous components to quantum processors while supercomputing systems handle data preparation, post-processing, and classically efficient tasks, while also leveraging supercomputing power to support advanced error mitigation and correction techniques that improve the fidelity and reliability of quantum computations.

Institutional Expertise and Capabilities

“The integration of quantum computing with high-performance computing infrastructure represents a critical
technical challenge and opportunity in computational science,” said Pawsey CEO Mark Stickells. “Pawsey’s experience operating production HPC systems for diverse research communities, combined with our record in quantum computing integration developments, positions us uniquely to lead this integration effort. This collaboration with G-QuAT will accelerate development of practical quantum-HPC hybrid solutions that researchers can actually use in their daily work.”

Pawsey operates one of Australia’s Tier-1 supercomputing infrastructure, including exascale ready systems serving astronomy, climate, health, and materials science communities. The Centre has established quantum computing testbeds integrated with HPC infrastructure, providing researchers with unified access to both quantum and classical resources through standard job submission interfaces.

“The partnership with Pawsey marks a significant step forward in our mission to make quantum–HPC hybrid computing truly accessible and impactful,” said Kazuya Masu, Director, Global Research and Development Center for Business by Quantum‑AI Technology (G‑QuAT). “By uniting our ABCI‑Q platform with Pawsey’s deep expertise in high‑performance computing, we are confident that this collaboration will lead to tangible breakthroughs that bring hybrid computation closer to real‑world deployment.”

G-QuAT conducts quantum computing research spanning quantum hardware development, quantum algorithm design, quantum software frameworks, and quantum-AI integration. The centre operates advanced quantum computing facilities and collaborates extensively with academic institutions and industry partners across Japan and internationally.

The collaboration is formalised as Australia and Japan mark the 50th anniversary of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, an agreement that has enabled scientific, technological, and economic cooperation between the two nations. The quantum computing partnership exemplifies the continued relevance and evolution of this bilateral relationship in addressing 21st-century technological challenges.

Implementation Timeline and Future Directions

The Letter of Intent establishes a framework through March 4, 2027, during which the parties will initiate joint research projects, establish researcher exchange programs, organise technical workshops and symposiums, and identify specific areas for expanded collaboration. The agreement provides flexibility to adapt to emerging opportunities and technological developments in quantum computing as the field continues its rapid evolution.

Both organizations emphasized their commitment to open science principles and collaborative research approaches that maximize knowledge sharing while respecting intellectual property considerations and enabling practical technology deployment.