The governments of the UK and Japan have jointly agreed to a £6m research programme to explore advanced connectivity technologies.
Announced following a visit to Japan by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, the research programme will see researchers from both nations explore technologies that can provide better connectivity coverage to improve access to digital services.
Alongside the programme, a handful of new collaborative projects in quantum computing were announced to be funded, following an agreement made last year between Britain and Japan to deepen ties with regards to quantum technologies.
The projects will be funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and will run for five years.
The new projects announced include massive scaling of semiconductor quantum-dot technologies, essentially enabling the development of chips for powerful quantum computers and ultra-sensitive sensors.
Other projects will look at how ion-trap nodes and photonic links can support ultra-secure communication and the development of smarter control techniques to make quantum sensors faster and more accurate when in noisy environments.
“These investments will help turn quantum science into practical tools that improve security, healthcare and transport, and by developing connectivity technologies we can ensure reliable digital access for everyone,” said Dr Kedar Pandya, executive director for strategy at EPSRC.
“Bringing together researchers from both countries means we can push the boundaries of science and unlock the real world benefits these technologies can deliver.”
