November 18, 2025 — NTT, Inc. and OptQC Corp. have entered into a collaboration agreement aimed at creating a 1-million qubit optical quantum computer by 2030.
Under the agreement, NTT will offer quantum error correction and optical communication technologies, developed as part of the Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) Initiative, to OptQC’s quantum computing platform. The goal is to commercialize practical, scalable, and reliable optical quantum computers.
The collaboration was announced at the 2025 R&D Forum, an event hosted by NTT Group companies in Tokyo. The forum showcased NTT’s advancements in optical and quantum computing, artificial intelligence, digital security, mobility, and infrastructure. This year’s theme was IOWN: Quantum Leap.
Conventional classical computers process information represented by electrical signals via semiconductor processors. In contrast, optical systems use light to carry information, employing methods based on the physical properties of light such as photon number, polarization, and amplitude.
Quantum computers are expected to tackle complex problems beyond the scope of classical computation, with potential applications in drug development, material design, financial optimization, and climate change prediction.
Current quantum computers are susceptible to environmental disturbances, such as noise or fluctuations, which can disrupt their quantum state and lead to errors. To address this, NTT and OptQC plan to achieve stable control of quantum states at a 1-million qubit scale while implementing error correction technologies.
While new quantum computing technologies are being developed globally, many require specialized environments like low temperatures or vacuums. Optical quantum computers, which harness the properties of light, offer a low-power, room-temperature and pressure alternative.
The joint project will combine NTT’s optical communications and quantum error correction technologies with OptQC’s optical quantum computer development technologies. The goal is to achieve scalability to 1-million qubits by 2030 and establish error correction technologies.
The four primary areas of joint study include:
- Development of multiplexing and error correction technologies for optical quantum computers.
- Creation of use cases and development of algorithms and software for optical quantum computers.
- Building a supply chain for optical quantum computers.
- Promoting social implementation of optical quantum computers and related use cases.
NTT will apply its quantum light source, optical multiplexing, and error correction technology, developed under the IOWN Initiative, to the optical quantum computer project. The IOWN Initiative focuses on advanced communications infrastructure using optical photonic technology.
OptQC has developed an optical quantum computer that operates at room temperature and pressure. It aims to accelerate its practical implementation through projects such as the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization’s “Post-5G Information and Communications System Infrastructure Strengthening Research and Development Project.”
In November 2024, NTT, the RIKEN Quantum Computing Research Center, the Quantum Control Research Team, and Fixstars Amplify announced a platform for general-purpose optical quantum computing. In January 2025, researchers with NTT, the University of Tokyo, and the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology created a general-purpose optical quantum computing platform capable of performing calculations using optical pulses.
NTT and OptQC will conduct joint research over the next five years, beginning with technical studies and collaboration with additional partners to create use cases. In the second year, they will build a development environment, and in the third year, they will verify use cases.
NTT aims to be a global technology company with services to consumers and businesses as a mobile operator, infrastructure, networks, applications, and consulting provider. With over $90 billion in revenue and 340,000 employees, NTT operates in over 80 countries and regions.
