Japan is currently undergoing a radical transformation in its computational infrastructure. Moving beyond isolated classical supercomputing, the nation is aggressively building a seamlessly integrated ecosystem where High-Performance Computing (HPC), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Quantum Computing (QHPC) operate in tandem. This session will explore the strategic initiatives, international collaborations, and hardware breakthroughs defining Japan's computing landscape in 2026 and setting the stage for the 2030s.The AI Revolution: The Genesis Mission and "AI for Science"A core focus of this session is Japan’s landmark integration into the Genesis Mission—a historic $1 billion strategic partnership forged with the United States in June 2026. As the initiative's first international partner, Japan is at the forefront of shifting the global scientific "operating system" to an AI-driven model. We will discuss how this collaboration links Japan’s top research hubs (including RIKEN and the University of Tokyo) with U.S. Department of Energy national labs to build robotics-powered "autonomous laboratories." By federating AI foundation models and pooling cross-border supercomputing data, the Genesis Mission aims to double scientific productivity in fields like biotechnology and nuclear fusion within a decade, cementing Japan's pursuit of "AI sovereignty." The Road to Fugaku NEXT (Zettascale AI-HPC)To support the immense computational demands of the Genesis Mission and sovereign AI ecosystems, Japan is rapidly advancing its classical HPC infrastructure. We will provide an inside look at the architecture behind Fugaku NEXT, Japan's flagship zettascale successor. Designed natively as an AI-HPC platform, this system targets unprecedented application performance and extreme energy efficiency, serving as the domestic engine for large-scale "AI for Science" workloads.Pioneering QHPC (Quantum-Centric Supercomputing)We will also conduct a deep dive into Japan's world-leading milestones in quantum-classical hybridization. The presentation will highlight recent 2026 breakthroughs, notably RIKEN's successful closed-loop orchestration of the Fugaku supercomputer alongside an on-premises IBM Quantum Heron processor. Furthermore, we will examine the role of AIST's G-QuAT in standardizing these hybrid quantum-HPC frameworks for broader industrial application.Target Audience & Takeaways:Designed for researchers, infrastructure architects, and policy-makers, this presentation unpacks how Japan is redefining "performance." Through bold bilateral pacts like the Genesis Mission and aggressive hardware innovation, Japan is establishing a resilient, AI-accelerated scientific ecosystem for the entire Asia-Pacific region.
