Japan readies to revolutionize scientific research and artificial intelligence globally with its new supercomputer, boasting 1,000 times the power of American counterparts.
Japan is set to reclaim a leading position in global supercomputing with the development of FugakuNEXT, a zetta-scale supercomputer under construction by Fujitsu and the RIKEN research institute. This new powerhouse, expected to exceed the performance of the current Fugaku supercomputer by a thousand times, will be a significant leap forward in high-performance computing (HPC).
The technical specifications of FugakuNEXT are shaping up to be impressive. The system will utilise Fujitsu's forthcoming MONAKA-X datacenter silicon, an Arm-based processor family, building on the success of the current Fugaku's Fujitsu A64FX processors. Memory-wise, while specifics are still under wraps, FugakuNEXT may feature advanced memory technology, possibly integrating high-bandwidth memory (HBM3) or DDR5 to boost bandwidth and efficiency.
FugakuNEXT is expected to surpass exascale computing and extend into the zettaflop domain, making it one of the most powerful computing platforms globally. The system will include both the compute nodes and processors designed in the contract awarded to Fujitsu, though the exact node count or core count has not yet been disclosed.
Vivek Mahajan, Corporate Executive Officer, Corporate Vice President, and CTO in charge of System Platform at Fujitsu Limited, commented, "Fujitsu is determined to build a system that can dynamically meet customer needs, drawing on our invaluable experience from Fugaku and the cutting-edge technologies of FUJITSU-MONAKA and FUJITSU-MONAKA-X."
The development phase for FugakuNEXT is scheduled to complete by February 27, 2026. The National supercomputing agenda under Japan's High-Performance Computing Infrastructure (HPCI) Program is driving this project, with RIKEN taking lead development responsibility alongside Fujitsu.
This ambitious project 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. Feasibility studies for FugakuNEXT have been underway since August 2022 and are scheduled to continue until March 2024.
Four research teams are assessing the technical and scientific benefits of a zetta-scale supercomputer. The system is adaptable for a wide range of uses, including artificial intelligence and intricate scientific simulations. If successful, FugakuNEXT is expected to achieve speeds around 1,000 times faster than today's leading systems, making it a significant step forward in HPC.
The new supercomputer, if successful, is expected to seamlessly integrate with GPUs and other accelerators. FugakuNEXT, like its predecessor, is anticipated to play a crucial role in scientific research, potentially aiding in the modelling of complex phenomena and pushing the boundaries of what is currently possible in HPC.
Data-and-cloud-computing technologies, such as Fujitsu's MONAKA-X datacenter silicon, are being employed in the development of FugakuNEXT, an upcoming zetta-scale supercomputer. This advancement in high-performance computing (HPC) is also anticipated to incorporate artificial-intelligence capabilities for scientific research purposes.
