News

A team of researchers from INESC TEC recently concluded a visit to Japan as part of the HANAMI project, aimed at fostering scientific and technological collaboration between Europe and Japan in High-Performance Computing (HPC). During the visit, the team participated in high-level meetings and presentations to explore synergies and deepen partnerships across both regions.

 

Key engagements included a strategic meeting with the ROIS board, chaired by Professor Masaru Kitsuregawa, to present the HANAMI project, and discussions at RIKEN focusing on the integration of quantum computers into existing EuroHPC JU supercomputing systems. The latter involved presentations and discussions with prominent researchers Mitsuhisa Sato and Miwako Tsuji from Riken’s Quantum HPC Hybrid Computing Platform Division, highlighting opportunities for future cooperation in the quantum computing area.

 

 

At AIST, the team continued ongoing collaborative efforts with Jason Haga on optimising the performance and efficiency of HPC centres to meet the demands of I/O and energy-intensive AI workloads, further exploring these research activities under the HANAMI project.

 

“This mission reinforces INESC TEC’s strategic objective to build lasting research and innovation bridges between Europe and Japan. Through the HANAMI project, we are laying the groundwork for collaborative breakthroughs in HPC and quantum computing, aligning expertise and vision across institutions from both regions,” said Rui Oliveira, INESC TEC researcher in the HANAMI project.

 

 

A visit to Fujitsu’s headquarters in Kawasaki, meeting Motohiro Yamada (Head of Business Strategy) and Masao Kondo (Director of Quantum Laboratory), allowed for further discussion of common perspectives for the hybridization of Quantum and HPC systems, and provided insight into the recently announced 256-qubit superconducting quantum computer jointly developed with Riken.

 

 

Additionally, various promotional materials related to HANAMI were distributed at the International Post-Exascale (InPEx) workshop to raise awareness and interest in the project within this community.