The agreement establishes mechanisms for joint research funding initiatives, collaborative project development, synchronised proposal evaluations, shared intellectual property protection and cross-border data security protocols.
Under the newly agreed partnership, Q-Neko, a project involving 16 European and Japanese partners, is set to receive $4m in EU funding – it focuses on quantum hardware development, software systems advancement, integration of quantum computing with high-performance computing and AI-enhanced quantum applications.
Q-Neko researchers are looking to target practical applications in biomedical research, materials science, seismic and tsunami modelling, climate prediction systems and quantum-enhanced machine learning.
The quantum agreement is part of a much broader technology collaboration that also includes semiconductor research and supply chain resilience, 6G network development through the Mirai-Harmony project, digital identity systems, data governance frameworks and cybersecurity protocols.
The EU and Japan also reinforced their cooperation on submarine cables, setting out plans to develop a pioneering Arctic connectivity route to ensure trusted data flows between Europe and Japan.
The collaboration operates through two main funding channels: the EU Horizon Europe research program and Japan's Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation program and the agreement includes provisions for confidential information protection, intellectual property rights, administrative and technical safeguards and controlled third-party disclosure.
