To strengthen the European quantum computing R&D ecosystem through cooperation with the Japanese ecosystem, proposals are expected to contribute to the following outcomes:

• Enhanced quantum computing and/or hybrid Quantum-High Performance Computing (HPC) algorithms and codes in advanced academic and industrial applications of interest for Europe and Japan in the identified priority domains described in the scope section below.
• Improved sharing of information and expertise to solve common societal problems with the use of advanced hybrid quantum-HPC and/or quantum computing.
• An effective exchange of researchers and engineers between Japan and the EU and their access to advanced Japanese and EuroHPC quantum computing and/or hybrid Quantum-HPC resources.
• A roadmap for an improved cooperation of EU-Japan quantum computing research communities on quantum computing and/or hybrid Quantum-HPC algorithmic development in targeted application areas.

The objective of this call is to support the implementation of the Japan-EU Digital Partnership^[1] in order to strengthen cooperation with Japan in quantum computing R&D.

Strengthening research cooperation between Europe and Japan in quantum computing collaboration topics under the EU-Japan Digital Partnership. The focus is on cooperation activities for optimising hybrid Quantum-HPC algorithms and codes in advanced academic and industrial applications of common interest including applications related to biomedical, material science, seismic/tsunami and/or weather and climate modelling.

Proposals should address the below identified priority domains of mutual interest, with activities in quantum computing and/or hybrid Quantum-HPC applications (including quantum-inspired computing):

• Developing algorithms and codes for material and biomedical sciences including drug discovery, electronic structure problem, crystal structures of organic molecules, quantum chemistry/quantum physics, optimization, and efficiently coupling classical machine learning (ML) or artificial Intelligence with quantum ML.
• Developing algorithms and codes for seismic/tsunami and/or weather and climate modelling, such as climate change/earthquake forecasting, energy transition (e.g., chemistry and material simulations), decentralized grid energy distribution, emergency, post disaster and logistics management, Earth observation;

Proposals should address one or more of the above application areas, and consider at the same time all of the following:

• Addressing the software stack as well as error mitigation approaches, including sharing and exchange of use-cases, testbeds, and libraries;
• Benchmarking and pre-standardisation^[2], such as establishing specific benchmarks for technology advancements (e.g., qubit stability, error rates, or processing speed) and application development in the identified priority domains, including performance measuring, testing and optimisation.

Proposals should promote the exchange of researchers and engineers between Japan and the EU and elaborate a roadmap for future R&I actions that would enhance cooperation in all the above. Proposals should also demonstrate a clear link with the existing European quantum computing and/or hybrid Quantum-HPC centres active in the identified priority domains, and possibly include benchmarks related to the efficient use of shared resources, like computing time on shared infrastructures (e.g., EU/EuroHPC supercomputers, JP/ABCI-Q hybrid infrastructure in AIST).

Finally, proposals should also describe the facilitation of reciprocal access for European and Japanese researchers and engineers to advanced Japanese and EuroHPC quantum computing resources (notably the utilisation of the JP/ABCI-Q hybrid infrastructure in AIST and the EU’s EuroHPC quantum computers), in conformity with the respective access policies. It is expected that the EuroHPC JU and the Japanese quantum computing entities will provide dedicated computing time in their respective infrastructure to run quantum computing and/or hybrid Quantum-HPC applications of European and Japanese users in the frame of this action.

For any selected projects under this call, Japanese partners will participate with their own funding, while EU partners will be funded by Horizon Europe.

[1] https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/eu-japan-summit-strengthening-our-partnership

[2] Preliminary efforts to establish uniform technical standards, benchmarks, and methodologies before formal standardization processes take place.