NEC Discontinues Quantum Computer Hardware Development

Tokyo, Sept. 7 (Jiji Press)--NEC Corp. discontinued developing quantum computer hardware at the end of March, people familiar with the matter said.

The Japanese electronics maker apparently judged that continuing to develop quantum computer hardware will not produce the profits expected, given the many challenges to be cleared for practical use, such as the lack of a dominant hardware approach.

Still, the company will continue technological development using quantum mechanics.

In 1999, NEC demonstrated the world's first superconducting qubit, opening the way for a hardware approach adopted by U.S. giants Google and IBM Corp.

In Japan, Fujitsu Ltd. leads quantum computer research. In 2025, it jointly developed a world-leading quantum computer with Japanese research institute Riken.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]