System Configuration Finalized for New RIKEN Supercomputer for Quantum-HPC Hybrid Platform — Accelerating Integration of Quantum Computing and High-Performance Computing — | RIKEN Center for Computational Science RIKEN Website

TOP Events & Outreach News & Announcements System Configuration Finalized for New RIKEN Supercomputer for Quantum-HPC Hybrid Platform — Accelerating Integration of Quantum Computing and High-Performance Computing —

The Quantum-HPC Hybrid Platform Division at RIKEN Center for Computational Science (Director: Mitsuhisa Sato) has finalized the system configuration for the “Supercomputer for Quantum-HPC Hybrid Platform,” designed to accelerate the integration of quantum computing and high-performance computing (HPC).

The new supercomputer will be installed at RIKEN Center for Computational Science in Kobe and connected via the SQC Interface [2] to Japan’s flagship supercomputer Fugaku [1], as well as other supercomputers and quantum computers. This system will serve as a simulation environment for quantum computations on HPC systems, enabling algorithm development and performance evaluation, while also supporting integrated application development that combines quantum computing and HPC.

The system consists of 135 compute nodes equipped with the NVIDIA Grace Blackwell platform “GB200 NVL4” [3], totaling 540 Blackwell GPUs, using the GB200 NVL4 platform and interconnected via NVIDIA Quantum-X800 InfiniBand networking[4], delivering ultra-high-speed communication of up to 3.2 terabits per second (Tbps). Compute nodes employ warm-water cooling technology [5] to achieve both high performance and energy efficiency.

Its computational performance exceeds 21 petaflops (PFLOPS) in double-precision floating-point operations (FP64) [6] and surpasses 5 exaflops (EFLOPS) in 8-bit floating-point operations (FP8) [7], offering world-class computing power.

By working in tandem with Fugaku, this system will accelerate the development of the Quantum-HPC Hybrid Platform and flexibly address advanced computational demands that Fugaku alone cannot meet.

The system will be built based on RIKEN’s specifications, led by DTS Corporation (https://www.dts.co.jp/). NVIDIA will provide systems with accelerated computing and networking, Giga Computing Technology (https://www.gigacomputing.com/en/) will design and manufacture compute nodes, and DataDirect Networks (https://ddn.co.jp/) will supply the high-speed file system. ScaleWorX (https://www.scalewx.co.jp/) will serve as the overall system integrator.

This installation is part of a project commissioned by NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization) under Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI): “Research and Development of a Quantum-Supercomputer Hybrid Platform for Expanding Computational Frontiers” as part of the “Project for Research and Development of Enhanced Infrastructures for Post 5G Information and Communications Systems.” (Note 1).

The project aims to tightly integrate multiple supercomputers, including Fugaku, with IBM’s superconducting quantum computer IBM Quantum System Two [8] (“ibm_kobe”) and Quantinuum’s ion-trap quantum computer “Reimei” [9], via high-speed networks, to explore new computational domains that conventional HPC alone cannot achieve.

The system is scheduled for completion within fiscal year 2025 and will begin operation as a world-class Quantum-HPC Hybrid Platform, in conjunction with the already deployed ibm_kobe, Reimei, and Fugaku.

Note 1: This project is part of the initiative announced on November 22, 2023, titled “Launch of Research and Development Project for a Platform to Integrate Quantum Computers and Supercomputers.” https://www.riken.jp/en/news_pubs/news/2023/20231122_1/index.html

Comments from Participating Organizations

RIKEN Center for Computational Science, Quantum-HPC Hybrid Platform Division
Director Mitsuhisa Sato

“With the introduction of this NVIDIA GPU-based system, we can not only enhance the simulation environment for quantum computers, which is essential for quantum software development, but also expand computational resources to support quantum-HPC hybrid computing alongside Fugaku. We expect this will open new application areas such as quantum machine learning, combining quantum computers and GPUs.”

DTS Corporation
Senior Executive Officer Hiroshi Tani

“We are deeply grateful for being selected as part of this project, led by DTS and Digital Technologies Corporation, which brings together professional teams from other specialized partner companies. It is a great honor to participate in such a national-scale initiative. DTS has been recognized as a trusted partner for delivering cutting-edge systems, business and social infrastructure IT, and next-generation IT leveraging generative AI. In this project, we will apply our expertise at every phase and work as one team to ensure success.”

ScaleWorX, Inc.
President & CEO Masahiko Yamada

“ScaleWorX aims to be a ‘next-generation platform company’ that leverages world-leading technologies to deliver total solutions for the rapidly growing HPC and AI markets. The system adopted by RIKEN brings together cutting-edge technologies – including NVIDIA’s latest platform, ultra-fast interconnects, and warm-water cooling – to deliver outstanding performance and energy efficiency. We are immensely proud to participate in developing an innovative platform for scientific research under the direction of the RIKEN Center for Computational Science (R-CCS), a global leader in computational science symbolized by Fugaku. We are confident that this project will serve as a driving force behind our continued growth and we will spare no effort to ensure reliable and stable system operation.”

Giga Computing Technology Co., Ltd.
General Manager Daniel Hou

“By leveraging our expertise in high-performance system design and manufacturing, as well as our close collaboration with NVIDIA to accelerate time-to-market, Giga Computing is contributing to Japan’s continuous world-class advancements in research. Our goal is to empower scientific discovery through performance, efficiency, and sustainability, all hallmarks of next-gen computing.”

NVIDIA General Manager of Industrial Engineering and Quantum
Tim Costa

"Integrating quantum and classical processors redefines the boundaries of what's possible with computing. RIKEN’s platform, powered by NVIDIA Grace Blackwell, is unlocking Quantum-GPU Supercomputing systems that mark a pivotal step toward future useful quantum applications."

Supplementary Notes

[1] Supercomputer Fugaku: Developed jointly by RIKEN and Fujitsu, Fugaku is Japan’s flagship supercomputer. It ranked No.1 globally in 2020 and began shared use in March 2021. Designed to deliver world-leading performance in energy efficiency, computational power, usability, and AI acceleration, Fugaku supports Japan’s Society 5.0 vision and addresses major social and scientific challenges.
[2] SQC Interface: An API developed under the JHPC Quantum project to directly connect quantum computers and HPC systems, enabling data exchange and job control.
[3] GB200 NVL4: NVIDIA’s latest Grace Blackwell platform , designed for AI and HPC workloads.
[4] NVIDIA Quantum-X800 InfiniBand: A high-speed networking technology from NVIDIA, delivering up to 800 Gbps bandwidth per port for low-latency communication in HPC clusters.
[5] Warm-Water Cooling Servers: Instead of traditional compressor-based cooling, this system uses warm-water cooling combined with “free cooling” technology, leveraging ambient air and cooling towers without compressors. This reduces energy consumption significantly—by about 20% compared to similar-scale systems. Unlike Fugaku, which uses 10°C cooling water, the new system operates with 32°C water, allowing natural cooling even during summer.
[6] Double-Precision Floating-Point Operations (FP64): 64-bit floating-point operations used in scientific and engineering computations requiring high precision.
[7] 8-bit Floating-Point Operations (FP8): A low-precision format commonly used in AI and machine learning for faster and more energy-efficient processing.
[8] IBM Quantum System Two “ibm_kobe”: IBM’s next-generation superconducting quantum computer featuring scalability and stability. Installed at RIKEN and directly connected to Fugaku and the new supercomputer.
[9] Ion-Trap Quantum Computer “Reimei”: A quantum computer using ion-trap technology, enabling highly accurate quantum gate operations.

Research Support

This project is supported by NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization), an organization under the jurisdiction of Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)'s "Research and Development of Quantum-Supercomputers Hybrid Platform for Exploration of Uncharted Computable Capabilities" (Project Leader: Mitsuhisa Sato) as part of the "Project for Research and Development of Enhanced Infrastructures for Post 5G Information and Communications Systems (JPNP20017)."