Next
x -Generation Supercomputer

A key technology ofnational importance
The term “key technology of national importance” denotes scientific technology
heavily invested in large-scale national

Secure/maintain thecapability to launchsatellites into spacewhenever necessary

Develop observationand monitoring technology using satellite
and ocean exploration technology, andoffer integrated observational data tousers
Deep sea
drilling vessel“Chikyu”

projects and aimed at improvements in comprehensive national security and the realizaThe H-IIA Rockettion of world-class research capabilities.

Secure stable longterm energy supply
by re-using uranium
and plutonium-based
nuclear fuelFast Breeder
Reactor “Monju”

Key technologies
of national importanceJapan’s Council for Science and Technology Policy considers the Next-GenerationSupercomputer a “key technology of national importance” serving as a foundationof national scientific technology and industrial competitive strength, and has clearly
designated the project as a long-term strategic national goal.

Partial operation of the advanced, high-performance,
general-purpose Next-Generation Supercomputer(with a computational performance of 10 petaflops)
will begin in FY 2010, with atargeted completion dateof 2012. Progress is being Image of Next-Generation
made toward development Supercomputer facilityof application software forthe supercomputer.

X-ray free electron laser facility(Photo taken on January 29, 2009)

XFEL is the worldʼs highest-performance research facility for the
instantaneous observation and analysis of atomic-level hyperfine
structure and dynamics and change in ultrafast chemical reactions.
XFEL will release its first research results ahead of facilities in Europeand America.

A continuous process ofdevelopment
Sustained performance (flops)
Subsequent generation
project

Supercomputers in Japan have been devel-National leadershipsystemoped under the leadership of the nationalgovernment. Numerous pieces of technol-

Subsequent generation
project

100 peta (1017)

ogy developed under these national projects have been deployed to other major
computer systems across the country.

Next-Generation Supercomputer
project

National leadershipsystem(Earth Simulator)

puter development will strengthen its R&D
infrastructure and improve its overall level

National
infrastructure systems
research institutes,
university
computing centers

1 peta (1015)

Japan’s continuing research on supercomEarth Simulator project

10 tera (1013)

of technology.

Nationalleadership system
CP-PACS,
Numerical
Wind Tunnel

National
infrastructure systems
research institutes,
university
computing centers

National
infrastructure systems
research institutes,
university
computing centers

1990

Enterprises
companies,
laboratories

2000

1 peta (1015)

Enterprises
companies,
laboratories

10 tera (1013)

Enterprises
companies,
laboratories

Replacementof existingsupercomputers
National
infrastructure systems
research institutes,
university
computing centers

100 giga (1011)

100 peta (1017)

National
infrastructure systems
research institutes,
university
computing centers

National leadershipsystemNational leadershipsystemNext-Generation
SupercomputerEnterprises
companies,
laboratories

Homes
home computers,
home servers,workstations,video game consoles,
digital TV

Homeshome computers,
home servers,
workstations,video game consoles,
digital TV

2010

2015

100 giga (1011)

Homes
home computers,
home servers,
workstations,video game consoles,
digital TV

2020

2025

03