Xanadu, the world leader in photonic quantum computing, has recently announced its partnerships with Japanese quantum startups NanoQT and QunaSys to expand quantum research and support Japan's quantum ecosystem. Xanadu will collaborate with NanoQT on theory research, while its partnership with QunaSys will see its open-source framework PennyLane implemented to support the research done by QunaSys and its industry clients.

In a recent study, a research team from Chiba University in Japan developed a novel data assimilation technique designed for quantum annealing machines. In the study, the team formulated the four-dimensional variational data assimilation (4DVAR) cost function, into a quadratic unconstrained binary optimization (QUBO) problem, which quantum annealers can solve. This new quantum annealing approach accelerates data assimilation, thereby addressing a main computational bottleneck for numerical weather predictions.

Starting in July, NTT Docomo, Japan's largest mobile communication operator, will deploy quantum computing infrastructure across its network of base stations to alleviate network congestion during peak traffic hours and enhance the efficiency and reliability of its base stations. NTT Docomo said that this quantum computing platform comprises multiple layers, including a solution layer for optimisation problems, middleware for application processing and specific software for problem-solving. 

Scientists from the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST) have recently proposed a symbolic approach for automatic model-checking of quantum circuits, aiming to bridge the gap between model-checking quantum programs and quantum circuits. This novel method, developed using basic matrix operations in quantum mechanics laws and the Maude programming language, marks a crucial first step towards a universal framework for quantum circuit verification and specification.

According to media reports, the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) of Japan will collaborate with IBM to develop the next-generation quantum computers, aiming to develop a quantum computer with 10,000 quantum bits, expected to be operational by 2029. AIST and IBM are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding, with an announcement of this collaboration anticipated in the coming days.  This will mark the first time IBM has tied up with a foreign research institution in quantum computing at such a large scale.