Singapore and Japan Forge Alliance for Quantum Future
Singapore and Japan have formalized a government-to-government Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) to jointly develop quantum technologies. The agreement is a first-of-its-kind for Singapore in this domain and sets out cooperation on joint research, academia-industry collaboration, talent exchange, standards, governance and the development of commercial use cases.
Synergizing National Strengths
Singapore brings strengths in quantum software, algorithms, communications and security. National initiatives such as the National Quantum Safe Network and the Centre for Quantum Technologies position Singapore as a leader in quantum-safe communications and algorithmic research. The city-state excels at translating algorithmic advances into cloud-accessible tools and pilot projects with industry.
Japan contributes deep hardware and high-performance computing expertise. Research institutions like Riken and corporations such as Fujitsu have demonstrated large-scale superconducting systems, including a reported 256-qubit device and plans toward a 1,000-qubit machine. Japan also supports neutral-atom platforms and advanced engineering for system scaling and integration.
A private sector example illustrates the fit: Singapore-based Entropica Labs focuses on quantum software and algorithm development, while companies like Yaqumo in the region pursue hardware innovations. The MOC creates pathways for such companies to collaborate across research infrastructure and commercialization pipelines.
Accelerating Commercial Viability and AI Integration
The partnership aims to move quantum work from lab prototypes toward commercially relevant stacks. Expected early impacts include optimization tools for finance and logistics, quantum-assisted drug discovery workflows for pharma, and quantum-safe cryptography for secure AI data pipelines. Joint work on standards and governance should lower barriers for multinational deployments and investment.
For quantum AI specifically, combining Japan’s hardware roadmaps with Singapore’s algorithm and communications expertise could speed co-design of quantum processors and AI workloads, shorten time to practical hybrid quantum-classical applications, and expand talent pipelines across both countries.
In sum, the MOC is a pragmatic, resources-backed step that aligns complementary capabilities and creates a regional hub for scaling quantum technology into industry-ready applications, with direct implications for the future of AI.
