"Japan's Next-Gen Supercomputer Aims for an Incredible 1,000-Fold Boost in Scientific Research and AI Development, Altering the Global Landscape"
Japan is set to take a significant leap forward in high-performance computing (HPC) with the announcement of its new supercomputer project, Fugakunext. Led by RIKEN, Japan's national research institute, and Fujitsu Limited, the nation's top technology company by market share, Fugakunext is planned as the successor to the successful Fugaku supercomputer, launched in 2020.
The goal of Fugakunext is nothing short of revolutionary — it aims to create a zetta-scale supercomputer, 1,000 times faster than today's leading systems, including the US-built Frontier supercomputer. This ambitious project is expected to dramatically advance supercomputing power for applications in AI, climate modeling, drug discovery, and more, well beyond Fugaku’s exascale capabilities (which are around hundreds of petaflops to an exaflop).
Fujitsu Limited has been awarded the development contract for Fugakunext and will be responsible for the design of the overall system, including computing nodes and CPU components. The unique microarchitecture of FUJITSU-MONAKA and FUJITSU-MONAKA-X, developed on 2-nanometer technology for high performance and energy efficiency, will be at the core of Fugakunext.
The project is backed by an investment of over $750 million and has been in the works since 2022, with feasibility studies underway since August 2022 and scheduled to continue until March 2024. The basic design phase for Fugakunext is scheduled to run until 27 February 2026.
Fujitsu's Vivek Mahajan has expressed determination to build a system that can meet customer needs, drawing on their invaluable experience from Fugaku and the cutting-edge technologies of FUJITSU-MONAKA and FUJITSU-MONAKA-X. The project is considered a significant leap forward in Japan's HPC roadmap but remains in the conceptual or early development phase.
Fugaku, the current supercomputer, played a critical role in pandemic modeling during COVID-19. It rose to the upper ranks of the Top500 list of the world's fastest supercomputers. The need for a flexible platform that supports large-scale computing resources is rising, particularly as generative AI and other data-intensive technologies drive research and development.
Fugakunext is part of Japan's broader focus on "AI for Science," a strategy that integrates artificial intelligence with simulation technologies and real-time data to accelerate scientific discovery. Four research teams are assessing the technical and scientific benefits of a zetta-scale supercomputer.
Japan seeks to ensure its ongoing leadership in high-performance computing infrastructure. The HPCI Steering Committee, established by MEXT, emphasizes the need for such a platform to accommodate the increasing computing demands. If successful, Fugakunext is expected to achieve speeds around 1,000 times faster than today's leading systems, marking a new era in supercomputing for Japan and the world.
For the most current and detailed technical specifications, we recommend monitoring official announcements from RIKEN, Fujitsu, or Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) for updates beyond available public sources.
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