May 24 (Japan Times) - Japan's new supercomputer Fugaku is set to begin operations around 2021 with the country aiming to regain the title of building the world's fastest computer, replacing its current supercomputer K, government-backed research institute Riken said Thursday.
The Fugaku, a nickname for Mount Fuji, aims to be about 40 to 120 times faster than the K, the first supercomputer in the world to achieve a speed of over 10 quadrillion computations per second.
"A supercomputer is essential to solving social challenges such as drug development and disaster prevention," Riken President Hiroshi Matsumoto said. "We will dedicate our best effort to its success and operation."
The new supercomputer, developed at a cost of about ¥110 billion, will be utilized in a wide range of research by various companies and universities including forecasting heavy rains.
The institute received nearly 5,100 entries for potential names between February and April from the public, with only two entries for Fugaku.
The new computer will be placed in the institute's Center for Computational Science in Kobe, replacing the K when it retires in August.
