Our future with quantum computers vol.2 – Interview with Terabe Masayoshi

What kind of attitudes should the students, including the international students in Japan, take toward their studies?

I want to make it clear that it is my opinion, but I want them to be the people who can create something that only they can do. In order to be this kind of person, I think it is very important to make your own field combining some different fields. In this context, for example, if you want to learn about quantum computing, I suggest you learning other things at the same time, such as food or education. In my case, they were happened to be business and car industry. When you study at least 2 different things at the same time, it will be relatively easy to be the top of the world in the new field that you just created. So, if you want to come up with an idea that an app that might be popular among the people, for example, and you study about quantum computing at the same time to start inventing the app. That would work a lot for your success.

To be honest, you won’t be able to be the top of the world if you decide to study only quantum computing unless you reach the level of getting Nobel prize. I am not going to say that you shouldn’t aim to be that level, however, I definitely won’t be able to do that. So when I wondered with what I might be able to win, I came up with the idea to combine the different two things; quantum computing and the knowledge of car industry. I don’t know how much value does the new field that I made have. Still I would say that I am one of the best people in this field.

What do you think about the positioning of Japan in Quantum computing field?

I assume that Japan is one of the leading countries in the quantum computing field,  especially in a method which is called quantum annealing, I would say. It was pioneered by Prof. Nishimori from Tokyo Institute of Technology and Dr. Kadowaki who is working for DENSO Corporation. right now. Prof. Nishimori’s student, Associate Prof. Ohzeki  from Tohoku University and Associated Prof. Tanaka from Keio University, are also leading persons of this field. Japan was outstanding in international conferences since the result of their studies.

I admit that quantum computing is not that easy to get start for new-comers, however, it is relatively easy  to start to learn or study this field with those leading people in Japan in this context; there are many leading people of this field in Japan. If the professors in this field only exist in the United States, it will be much difficult to get start with something with them for people who are in Japan.

As well as this for international student, it will be comparably easy to learn new things from those leading people here in Japan. So I hope that more students get interested in our field and make new things with us in the near future.

Give some messages to the young people.

Actually, I have been associated with quantum computing only for 5 years. So I don’t regard myself as an expert of quantum computing. The reason why I keep struggling with this field is to make a big change in our society using technologies. So as to realize this, I have tried as many technologies and approaches as I was able to. I believe that it is very important to have something that you can dedicate or an achievement that you want to reach. At the same time it is so valuable to challenge many things to realize those goals.

In my case, for example, I had a vague dream that I want to give a big impact on this world. In spite of that, I have never been to any foreign countries until I became 20 years old. So I decided to see the world with my own eyes and became a backpacker to travel.

What I want to say is, in the end of the day, making a lot of effort sets you in a very interesting and unique position in the society. I think it worth trying to do it even if it seems to be too much reckless. As well as this, it would hep you with approaching the field that you are interested in and making a worldwide success. Still I am also on the way to build up my social position and to make something exciting. So all above are the advice from a challenger, like you.