INSTITUTION PROFILE / QUANTUM COMPUTING
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)
The Japanese ministry that turns quantum computing into an industry
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) does not build quantum computers. Japan's quantum policy is set at the level of the Cabinet, with the Cabinet Office in the lead, and METI handles the industrial side. In practice that means spending the industrial-development budget, building up the quantum hub G-QuAT at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), and export control of items that could also serve military uses. This profile sets out what METI can and cannot decide on quantum computing, keeping proposals and drafts clearly apart from what has been adopted and is in force. Everything here was checked on 16 October 2026.
- METI in 30 seconds
- What kind of institution? Four types of influence
- What it does for quantum computing
- How far its influence reaches (powers and geography)
- Who decides what: the organisations involved
- Outlook
- Glossary / References / Claim-to-source audit
1. METI in 30 seconds
(METI)A ministry of the Japanese government, in Kasumigaseki, Tokyo
(over 3 years)FY2025 supplementary budget, as an amount "provided" in a Cabinet Office document. Initial-budget items are in Section 3
Japan's national quantum strategy is set by a Cabinet-level body, not by METI. The "Quantum Future Industry Creation Strategy" is a document of the Integrated Innovation Strategy Promotion Council, decided on 14 April 2023 Sourced. The Quantum Working Group of the Japan Growth Strategy Council, which started in January 2026, is also chaired by the Cabinet Office minister in charge of science and technology policy, with METI helping with the secretariat work Sourced. What METI holds is the means of carrying the strategy out: budget execution, building up AIST's quantum hub, and the ministerial ordinance on export control. The "Future Direction of Quantum Computer Policy" that METI put before a council on 8 July 2026 labels its policy directions as a draft ("(proposal)"), so it is not adopted policy Not yet confirmed.
2. What kind of institution? Four types of influence
Unlike companies, the institutions that appear in quantum computing coverage do not sell quantum computers. Instead they can be sorted into four types by the route through which they influence the field. METI sits mainly in "policy and regulation", and also straddles "funding". Its funding is not the kind that invites research proposals and awards them, as an agency such as NEDO does. It is budget METI spends itself, such as for building up AIST's facilities.
3. What it does for quantum computing
An ordinary computer calculates with bits, each of which is either 0 or 1. A quantum computer calculates with quantum bits (qubits), which can be in a state that blends 0 and 1. Qubits are fragile, so machines need a way to correct their own errors. A machine that has this is called a fault-tolerant quantum computer (FTQC). Machines of a practical size are still to come. For more, see our explainers on the basics of quantum computing and on logical qubits and fault-tolerant quantum computing. This article looks at how METI acts on the field through budget, a hub, export rules and law.
The table below lists METI's quantum computing activities, marking drafts, adopted measures and measures in force.
| Activity | Date and status | What it does | Status type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Future Direction of Quantum Computer Policy | Presented on 8 July 2026 to a subcommittee of the Industrial Structure Council. Policy directions are labelled "(proposal)" | Four pillars: developing Japan-made quantum computers, taking them overseas (ASEAN and others), creating use cases, and building a chip production base. It looks ahead to placing FTQC-class machines at quantum hubs such as G-QuAT, from about 2028 for early FTQC machines and from about 2031 for FTQC machines | Draft (not decided) |
| Accelerating development and improving the environment for industrialising quantum computers | FY2025 supplementary budget. METI's share is JPY 100.4 billion (3 years) | R&D on next-generation machines and talent development, large-scale demonstrations to create use cases, and compute, manufacturing and evaluation facilities at AIST's G-QuAT | Provided (supplementary budget) |
| Project to prepare the environment for industrialising quantum computers | FY2024 to FY2027. FY2024 supplementary JPY 2.35 billion, FY2025 initial JPY 1.0 billion, FY2026 request JPY 1.8 billion (as stated in the FY2025 review sheet) | Supports expansion of G-QuAT's facilities and compute and evaluation equipment (facility-building subsidy to AIST) | Provided for FY2024 and FY2025. FY2026 is a request |
| Quantum items in the FY2026 initial budget | "Budget overview" published 7 April 2026 | Cyber-physical development project for hybrid quantum-classical technology, JPY 1.0 billion (Energy Special Account); frontier-nurturing and prize-type project, JPY 4.3 billion (quantum and space fields); and part of AIST's JPY 67.4 billion operating grant | Initial budget |
| Export control on quantum computers Goods Ordinance, Article 7(1)(vi) | Promulgated 8 July 2024, in force 8 September 2024 (METI Ordinance No. 44 of 2024). The current version took effect 14 February 2026 | Puts quantum computers, qubit devices and circuits, and control and measurement components under export control (table below). Export needs a licence from the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry | In force (binding) |
| Amendment of the Industrial Technology Enhancement Act Act No. 41 | Cabinet decision 13 March 2026, promulgated 19 June 2026. It takes effect on a date set by cabinet order within one year of promulgation | Creates "priority industrial technologies" designated by cabinet order, plus plan-approval systems for companies working on them. The explanation at the Cabinet decision lists AI and advanced robotics, quantum, and semiconductors and communications as technologies to be designated | Enacted and promulgated. The effective date and any quantum designation are not yet confirmed |
| International standardisation | The 8 July 2026 draft | Separate the parts to be left open as international standards from the parts kept as a source of competitiveness, and use international frameworks such as ISO/IEC JTC 3 | Draft (not decided) |
Note: amounts in this section keep requests, provided (enacted) amounts, initial budgets and supplementary budgets apart. We could not find a published document that adds METI's quantum-related budget into one figure (checked 16 October 2026).
Quantum-related goods under export control (Goods Ordinance, Article 7(1)(vi))
Export control means requiring a government licence before items that could also serve military uses leave Japan. The question is whether quantum computers could be used militarily. The conditions are written in the legal data Sourced.
| Sub-item | What it covers (plain terms) | Main conditions |
|---|---|---|
| (a) | The quantum computer itself | For 34 to under 100 "fully controlled, connected and usable physical qubits", a CNOT error of 0.0001 or less; for 100 to under 200, 0.001 or less; and so on, with an error ceiling for each size band. At 2,000 qubits or more there is no error condition |
| (b) | Qubit devices and circuits (specially designed for the machines in (a)) | Those containing arrays of physical qubits |
| (c) | Quantum control components and quantum measurement devices (specially designed for the machines in (a)) | None beyond that |
Technology (know-how for design and manufacture) is covered by a separate provision. Article 20(1)(iii) and (iv) of the same ordinance cover technology for designing and making the items in (b) and (c). The list in Article 20 does not include technology for designing and making the quantum computer in (a) itself (we did not check how other provisions treat it) Sourced. We have not checked whether cryogenic cooling equipment, amplifiers and similar items are controlled under other entries.
The July 2026 draft says that, for chip-making in Japan, AIST's superconducting quantum circuit prototyping facility "Qufab" (4-inch wafers, opened to outside users for a fee since October 2024) should first be extended to 8 inches, with 12-inch service in view for the early 2030s. The reasoning is that, as in semiconductors, larger wafers decide competitiveness for quantum chips. The same document also says it will speed up R&D on parts and materials such as cables, connectors and refrigerators, and secure the supply-chain "choke points" Not yet confirmed. For suppliers of materials and components, which parts and materials the state sees as choke points is a clue to where support may go next.
4. How far its influence reaches (powers and geography)
| Aspect | What METI has | What it does not have |
|---|---|---|
| Strategy | Drafting industrialisation policy and putting it before councils. A Quantum Industry Office to plan quantum industrial policy, including international strategy, and execute budgets (December 2025 document) | The power to set national strategy (the Quantum Future Industry Creation Strategy is a decision of the Integrated Innovation Strategy Promotion Council). The power to pass laws and budgets (the Diet) |
| Funding | Spending budget itself, such as for building up AIST's G-QuAT (the JPY 100.4 billion in the FY2025 supplementary budget and others) | Enacting the budget. The role of inviting and awarding R&D themes (other bodies such as NEDO; under the 2026 bill NEDO gives advice to companies' R&D) |
| Export control | Amending the Goods Ordinance (a METI ordinance) and granting export licences (the Minister) | Amending the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act itself (the Diet). The cabinet order that underpins the system (the Cabinet) |
| Standards and certification | Setting out in the draft a policy of using frameworks such as JTC 3 for international standardisation (draft) | The power to set international standards (decided by agreement within international standards bodies) |
| Geography | Japan's budget, and goods and technology exported from Japan. The draft describes government-level support for overseas deployment in ASEAN and the Global South (draft) | Direct power over other countries' policies or overseas companies' business |
| Scale | 8,068 authorised posts (planned for the end of FY2026). Part of the request for new posts in FY2026 includes setting up a system for creating and nurturing a quantum industry | A published headcount for the Quantum Industry Office (not found) |
A Cabinet Office document (24 December 2025) gives a FY2025 supplementary-budget total for quantum of JPY 133.2 billion, of which METI's share is JPY 100.4 billion. The rest belongs to the Cabinet Office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Sourced. The same document's "JPY 471.1 billion total over the five years FY2021 to FY2025" is quantum spending across the whole government, not METI's alone. Take care not to add requests, initial budgets and supplementary budgets (as provided) into a single figure.
5. Who decides what: the organisations involved
Japan's quantum policy splits into the layer that sets strategy and the layer that carries it out as industry. The diagram below summarises the division of roles described in official documents.
According to METI's draft, AIST's G-QuAT hosts quantum computers from Fujitsu, QuEra Computing and OptQC. The same document's list of partners in its global hub includes names such as QuEra Computing, Quantinuum and Bluefors (a maker of cryogenic refrigerators) Sourced. AIST is a research institute and a separate organisation from METI (see our AIST profile in this series). The document also presents, as a case study, a large protein simulation by RIKEN with IBM and others.
6. Outlook
| What we can read from the record | Primary evidence | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Whether the draft's four pillars will be formally adopted is open. The FTQC introductions from about 2028 and 2031 are at the "looking ahead" stage | Council paper of 8 July 2026 (draft) | Not yet confirmed |
| On extending AIST's Qufab to 8 inches and the operating structure beyond that, a decision is due by the end of 2026 | The same paper, which also lists the issues to examine (outlook for a foundry business, how to equip G-QuAT, the business structure and legal points) | Not yet confirmed |
| The Industrial Technology Enhancement Act takes effect within one year of promulgation (19 June 2026). Whether quantum is designated a priority industrial technology cannot be confirmed as of 16 October 2026 | Supplementary provisions and Article 20 of Act No. 41 (designation is by cabinet order) | Not yet confirmed |
| If quantum is designated, companies' R&D could qualify for tax credits (40% of research costs, or 50% when working with an approved institution) and similar support | METI press release of the Cabinet decision, 13 March 2026 | Inference |
| Creating the Quantum Industry Office suggests METI's quantum point of contact is being consolidated | The FY2026 organisation and staffing document (it describes a system to plan policy, including international strategy, and execute budgets) | Inference |
| The conclusions of the Japan Growth Strategy Council's Quantum Working Group | The Cabinet Office page lists only meeting dates and summaries. We did not confirm a document of conclusions | Not yet confirmed |
7. Glossary
- Ministerial ordinance and cabinet order
- A ministerial ordinance is issued by a minister; a cabinet order by the Cabinet. The Goods Ordinance is a METI ordinance, and the export order it builds on is a cabinet order.
- Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act
- The law that requires government permission for exports of goods and similar transactions.
- G-QuAT
- AIST's Global Research and Development Center for Business by Quantum-AI Technology, a hub for developing and evaluating quantum computers.
- FTQC
- Fault-tolerant quantum computer: a machine that can run large calculations while correcting its own errors.
- Quantum Industry Office
- The office within METI's Innovation Policy Division that plans quantum industrial policy and executes budgets.
- Supplementary budget
- A budget added during the fiscal year. It is counted separately from the initial budget.
- Priority industrial technology
- A category created by the amended Industrial Technology Enhancement Act for technologies the state backs for R&D. Designation is by cabinet order.
- Integrated Innovation Strategy Promotion Council
- A Cabinet body. It decided the Quantum Future Industry Creation Strategy.
8. References
- METI Future Direction of Quantum Computer Policy (8 July 2026, Innovation and Environment Bureau, Document 4-2: the four pillars, G-QuAT, Qufab, use cases, standardisation; labelled as a proposal) (in Japanese). https://www.meti.go.jp/shingikai/sankoshin/sangyo_gijutsu/innovation/pdf/014_04_02.pdf
- METI 14th Innovation Subcommittee, Innovation and Environment Committee, Industrial Structure Council (held 8 July 2026; list of documents) (in Japanese). https://www.meti.go.jp/shingikai/sankoshin/sangyo_gijutsu/innovation/014.html
- METI FY2025 Administrative Project Review Sheet, "Project to prepare the environment for industrialising quantum computers" (responsible office, project period FY2024 to FY2027, budget amounts, the 2030 goals) (in Japanese). https://www.meti.go.jp/information_2/publicoffer/review2025/kokai/0602rs_3.pdf
- METI Main organisation and staffing for FY2026 (December 2025: creation of the Quantum Industry Office; 8,068 authorised posts) (in Japanese). https://www.meti.go.jp/main/yosan/yosan_fy2026/pdf/05.pdf
- METI Overview of the FY2026 initial budget for METI (7 April 2026: quantum-related initial-budget items and the JPY 100.4 billion supplementary item) (in Japanese). https://www.meti.go.jp/main/yosan/yosan_fy2026/pdf/01.pdf
- Cabinet Office, Science, Technology and Innovation Promotion Office Quantum-related measures in the FY2025 supplementary budget (24 December 2025: amounts by ministry, METI's JPY 100.4 billion, G-QuAT's full-scale operation) (in Japanese). https://www8.cao.go.jp/cstp/ryoshigijutsu/27kai/sanko3.pdf
- Cabinet Office Quantum technology innovation (list of strategies and promotion measures; Quantum Working Group meetings) (in Japanese). https://www8.cao.go.jp/cstp/ryoshigijutsu/ryoshigijutsu.html
- Integrated Innovation Strategy Promotion Council Quantum Future Industry Creation Strategy (14 April 2023) (in Japanese). https://www8.cao.go.jp/cstp/ryoshigijutsu/230414_mirai.pdf
- Cabinet Office Convening of the Quantum Working Group (19 January 2026: chair, members, ministries assisting the secretariat) (in Japanese). https://www8.cao.go.jp/cstp/ryoshigijutsu/ryoshi_wg/doc/kosein.pdf
- e-Gov Law Search Ordinance specifying goods and technology under Appended Table 1 of the Export Trade Control Order and the Appended Table of the Foreign Exchange Order (Ordinance No. 49 of 1991 of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry; Article 7(1)(vi), Article 20, revision history) (in Japanese). https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/403M50000400049
- e-Gov Law Search Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act (Article 48: permission for export of goods; Article 25: permission for provision of technology) (in Japanese). https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/324AC0000000228
- METI Press release "Cabinet decision on the bill to partially amend the Industrial Technology Enhancement Act" (13 March 2026) (in Japanese). https://www.meti.go.jp/press/2025/03/20260313003/20260313003.html
- House of Councillors Act No. 41 (19 June 2026), Act to partially amend the Industrial Technology Enhancement Act (221st Diet session; the supplementary provision on the effective date) (in Japanese). https://www.sangiin.go.jp/japanese/joho1/kousei/gian/221/pdf/s0802210262210.pdf
9. Claim-to-source audit
| Claim in the text | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|
| The 8 July 2026 draft: four pillars; looking ahead to FTQC-class machines from about 2028 and 2031; Qufab extended to 8 inches and a decision on structure by the end of 2026; choke points in parts and materials; the standardisation policy; the machines at G-QuAT (Fujitsu, QuEra, OptQC) and the partners listed | Sourced | Reference 1 https://www.meti.go.jp/shingikai/sankoshin/sangyo_gijutsu/innovation/pdf/014_04_02.pdf |
| Date of the council meeting (8 July 2026) and the document titles | Sourced | Reference 2 https://www.meti.go.jp/shingikai/sankoshin/sangyo_gijutsu/innovation/014.html |
| Project period (FY2024 to FY2027), responsible office (Quantum Industry Office), budget amounts (FY2024 supplementary JPY 2.35 billion, FY2025 initial JPY 1.0 billion, FY2026 request JPY 1.8 billion), and the three 2030 goals (Quantum Future Society Vision) | Sourced | Reference 3 https://www.meti.go.jp/information_2/publicoffer/review2025/kokai/0602rs_3.pdf |
| The FY2026 organisation (creation of the Quantum Industry Office; planning of quantum industrial policy including international strategy, and budget execution) and 8,068 authorised posts | Sourced | Reference 4 https://www.meti.go.jp/main/yosan/yosan_fy2026/pdf/05.pdf |
| Quantum items in the FY2026 initial budget (JPY 1.0 billion, JPY 4.3 billion, part of AIST's JPY 67.4 billion grant) and the JPY 100.4 billion supplementary item | Sourced | Reference 5 https://www.meti.go.jp/main/yosan/yosan_fy2026/pdf/01.pdf |
| FY2025 supplementary quantum total of JPY 133.2 billion with METI's JPY 100.4 billion (3 years), the five-year total of JPY 471.1 billion (FY2021 to FY2025), and G-QuAT's full-scale operation (May 2025) | Sourced | Reference 6 https://www8.cao.go.jp/cstp/ryoshigijutsu/27kai/sanko3.pdf |
| Decision dates of the strategies (Quantum Future Society Vision 22 April 2022; Quantum Future Industry Creation Strategy 14 April 2023; promotion measures for building a quantum ecosystem 30 May 2025) and the Quantum Working Group meeting dates (30 January, 16 February, 26 March 2026) | Sourced | Reference 7 https://www8.cao.go.jp/cstp/ryoshigijutsu/ryoshigijutsu.html |
| The Quantum Future Industry Creation Strategy is a document of the Integrated Innovation Strategy Promotion Council (14 April 2023) | Sourced | Reference 8 https://www8.cao.go.jp/cstp/ryoshigijutsu/230414_mirai.pdf |
| The Quantum Working Group is chaired by the Cabinet Office minister for science and technology policy, with the secretariat work done with the cooperation of the ministries concerned | Sourced | Reference 9 https://www8.cao.go.jp/cstp/ryoshigijutsu/ryoshi_wg/doc/kosein.pdf |
| Contents of Article 7(1)(vi) (sub-items a, b, c) and Article 20(1)(iii) and (iv) of the Goods Ordinance; effect from 8 September 2024 (Ordinance No. 44 of 2024) and the current version (in force 14 February 2026) | Sourced | Reference 10 https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/403M50000400049 |
| Export of goods needs permission of the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (Article 48); provision of technology also needs permission (Article 25) | Sourced | Reference 11 https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/324AC0000000228 |
| Cabinet decision on the bill amending the Industrial Technology Enhancement Act (13 March 2026), designation of priority industrial technologies, the 40% and 50% tax credits, NEDO's advice | Sourced | Reference 12 https://www.meti.go.jp/press/2025/03/20260313003/20260313003.html |
| Promulgation date of Act No. 41 (19 June 2026), the effective date (a date set by cabinet order within one year of promulgation), and designation of priority industrial technologies by cabinet order (Article 20) | Sourced | Reference 13 https://www.sangiin.go.jp/japanese/joho1/kousei/gian/221/pdf/s0802210262210.pdf |
| The four-type classification of institutions, the division-of-roles diagram and the timeline | Our calculation | This article's own organisation of the material |
| METI's total quantum-related budget and the headcount of the Quantum Industry Office | Not yet confirmed | Not stated as a single figure in references 1 to 13. This article does not estimate it |
| Adoption of the draft, the decision on Qufab's structure, the effective date of the Industrial Technology Enhancement Act and any quantum designation, and the Quantum Working Group's conclusions | Not yet confirmed | References 1, 7, 9 and 13. These cannot be settled from primary sources as of 16 October 2026, so this article leaves them open |
| The Section 6 inferences ("tax credits would be available if quantum is designated" and "the creation of the Quantum Industry Office consolidates the point of contact") | Inference | This article's reading of references 4 and 12 |
Last updated: 16 October 2026 / Troy Technical
Figures in this article come from official documents of METI and the Cabinet Office, e-Gov Law Search, and the text of a law published by the House of Councillors. Quantum policy moves fast, and the status of drafts, budgets and the effective dates of laws may change, so the date of checking (16 October 2026) is shown. Items marked "Inference" are this article's own reading of the primary sources. METI's website refuses command-line retrieval, so we opened its pages in a browser to check them.