Following the lead of China, the European Union (EU), and South Korea, Japan has unveiled plans to build its own long-distance quantum communication network. The first phase will link the country's three major cities—Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka—covering a distance of 600 kilometers. Construction is expected to be completed by early 2027, with field testing planned later that year. The initial rollout will focus on sectors where confidentiality is critical, such as healthcare and finance, to establish a Japan-specific quantum communication standard by 2030.
Japan's quantum network will be based on Toshiba's quantum key distribution (QKD) technology and developed in partnership with IT and telecommunications giant NEC. The system will feature relay points spaced up to 150 kilometers apart and will include the backbone infrastructure as well as an operational management framework for the industry.
The 2030 target reflects concerns about the rapid advancement of quantum computing. Current encryption systems are expected to become vulnerable by that time, making stronger, theoretically unbreakable communication methods essential. While Japan has already established a small experimental network in Tokyo, it stretches less than 100 kilometers—far shorter than China's network, which exceeds 10,000 kilometers, or the EU's coordinated member-state investments.
Article edited by Jack Wu
