DLR: Q-Neko project takes EU-Japan quantum cooperation into a new era

Q-Neko (The Nippon-Europe Quantum Koraborēshon) brings together leading players from research and industry in Europe and Japan to develop future computing solutions that support digital transformation and strengthen international expertise. The project investigates quantum-based solutions for (difficult) problems in areas such as materials science, CO₂ reduction, telecommunications, fluid dynamics and satellite image analysis.

In addition, the project unlocks the potential of quantum-based machine learning and artificial intelligence, opening up new opportunities for data-driven scientific insights and informed decision-making.

“Q-Neko will translate the promising interplay of classical supercomputing and quantum acceleration into concrete societal impact. The collaboration of trusted partners is an extremely valuable resource,” says Mikael Johansson, coordinator of the Q-Neko project at CSC.

Q-Neko is the first concrete action to emerge from the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Japan and the EU in May 2025 to strengthen cooperation in quantum technology and science – with the aim of paving the way to a quantum-accelerated society. This endeavor is supported by the EU-Japan Digital Partnership established in May 2022, which highlights exchanges in the fields of HPC, quantum computing and hybrid HPC+QC approaches.

Through the exchange of researchers and engineers, Q-Neko will further intensify technological and scientific networking between the European and Japanese quantum communities and create a sustainable basis for long-term cooperation between the regions.

“We share Q-Neko’s vision of combining classical supercomputing with quantum acceleration to create tangible societal value. As partners, we see enormous potential in working together to translate this technological promise into practical solutions. By combining our respective strengths and fostering a trusting, collaborative ecosystem, we can accelerate innovation and realize tangible benefits for industry, science and society,” says Masahiro Horibe, Deputy Director of G-QuAT at AIST.

Laying the foundation for a quantum-accelerated society

Funded by Horizon Europe and the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking on the European side and by Japan’s interdepartmental Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP), Q-Neko strengthens EU-Japan collaboration in quantum technologies through five closely interlinked objectives.

Through the exchange of researchers and engineers, Q-Neko promotes even closer technological and scientific networking between the European and Japanese quantum communities and contributes to building a resilient foundation for long-term cooperation.

The initiative also aims to share key resources and know-how between the two regions. The project will also develop a future-oriented technology roadmap that will help strengthen secure supply chains and guide strategic collaboration in the future.

In parallel, a powerful library of quantum-enabled solutions will be created to address key scientific and industrial challenges. For international coordination, the consortium will contribute to the development of robust benchmarks and to standardization activities in the field of HPC quantum integration. In addition, the project will drive the further development of the software stack for a seamless integration of HPC, AI and quantum computing (HPC+AI+QC), creating an essential foundation for the next generation of hybrid computing systems.

The German Aerospace Center (DLR) brings its proven expertise in quantum optimization and light-matter interaction to this groundbreaking EU project. Head of the work packages at DLR, PD Dr. Satoshi Ejima from the DLR Institute of Software Technology, explains: “Our goal is to significantly advance the efficiency of quantum algorithms. In doing so, we are building on our own software frameworks and established research results. The bridging function between European cutting-edge research and industrial application is particularly important to us. Together with our industrial partners in Japan, we translate theoretical breakthroughs into scalable solutions for complex optimization problems in practice.” This close intercontinental cooperation ensures that the quantum tools developed in the Q-NEKO project are not only scientifically excellent, but also find their way into industrial application.

On Tuesday, February 10, a high-level panel discussed how EU-Japan quantum cooperation can remain both open by design and secure by default in a rapidly changing political environment. While the topic of research security is becoming increasingly important in the EU, Japan has also given greater priority to issues of research integrity and security in the course of growing internationalization. The discussion provided valuable impetus for the implementation of Q-Neko’s goals and placed the project activities in an overarching vision for the further development of Europe-Japan cooperation in quantum science.

The panel was attended by: Frédéric Barbaresco (Thales, France), Janne Hirvonen (Ministry of Foreign Affairs Finland), Masahiro Horibe (AIST, Japan), Hiroshi Nakata (Q-Star, Japan) and Laura Taajamaa (Ministry of Culture and Education, Finland).

The project is coordinated by CSC – IT Center for Science (Finland) and involves a broad and diverse consortium, including IQM Quantum Computers, Forschungszentrum Jülich, German Aerospace Center (DLR), CEA France, Thales, Jij, French National Laboratory of Metrology and Testing (LNE), Ostrava University of Technology (VSB), QunaSys, Aalto University, Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Chodai Co. and the KDDI Corporation.

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Further links

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Photo: CSC / Mikael Kanerva