Conquering Quantum: Waseda Brussels hosts high-level EU-Japan conference on Quantum Technologies

25 November 2025, Brussels, Belgium

Quantum Sciences and Technologies – new technologies and systems using the properties of quantum mechanics - are one of the hottest areas for fundamental research and the development of industrial applications in a wide range of critical fields.

 
For Europe and Japan, these are a strategic priority to address key societal and economic issues. Allowing tasks which the most powerful supercomputers cannot currently do, they are poised to revolutionize biomedical research, new materials, weather and climate modelling, cybersecurity, energy sustainability, as well as underpin key advances in AI. Given the huge technological and industrial challenges, the EU and Japan are joining forces through reinforced political coordination and increased research cooperation. The new Quantum Europe Strategy, the Japanese National Quantum Strategy, and the recent EU-Japan Letter of Intent on Strengthening Cooperation in Quantum Sciences and Technologies reflect the new alliances between EU and Japan in a challenging global environment.
Such government efforts and funding are supported by public/private partnerships such as the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking; by industrial players who are committing large resources; and by active partnerships between EU and Japanese research organisations, including Waseda and ULB. 

The Conference will explore how recent advances in quantum technology have accelerated the development of physical platforms for quantum computing and quantum networks. Among them, nanoscale photonic devices enable strong light confinement and allow for strong interactions between light and matter. At the same time, laser-cooled atoms offer exceptional quantum coherence and precise controllability, making them an ideal medium for quantum information processing. The fusion of these two fields—nanophotonics and atomic physics—is expected to drive the development of innovative next-generation quantum technologies that can realize large-scale distributed quantum computing and global quantum networks.

The programme will include remarks by Kazutoshi Aikawa, Japanese Ambassador to the EU and Jean-Eric Paquet, EU Ambassador to Japan, and two dozen presentations by leading EU and Japanese researchers, senior EC officials, and representatives of EU and Japanese industry and research infrastructures. 
In addition to providing insights into the latest scientific developments and fostering the development of new partnerships and joint projects, the Conference will offer ample opportunities to discuss, and network, with leading international experts in this fast-moving field.

Source: Waseda University - Brussels office