[OptQC Note] Part 2 of the Exclusive Essay Series "Frontier" Is Now Available: The Man Who Never Gives Up, Never Settles, and Keeps Challenging
Today, we published Part 2 of our exclusive essay series, "Frontier," on OptQC's official media platform, "OptQC Note."
This three-part special series offers a rare look at Akira Furusawa — a world-renowned pioneer in optical quantum computing and Director of OptQC — through the distinctive perspective of Jin Mayama, one of Japan's most celebrated novelists known for works like Hagetaka.
Set at a dinner hosted at the Official Residence of the Japanese Ambassador to France in Paris, Part 2 portrays Furusawa’s character as it emerges through his interactions with the brilliant minds of the French quantum physics community. Through a unique perspective that only Mayama — who has closely followed his journey — can provide, the essay chronicles Furusawa as a man who refuses to halt his progress or grow complacent even as he grows older, constantly pushing into uncharted territory.
Jin Mayama has spent decades covering the frontlines of Japanese society, turning deep, hands-on reporting into compelling novels that tackle corporate power, energy policy, space exploration, and cutting-edge science. As one of Japan's most acclaimed authors, Mayama has reached broad audiences through numerous bestselling books and multiple TV drama and film adaptations.
Among the key figures who have inspired Mayama’s recent work is Furusawa, whom the author once used as the model for a character in one of his major novels. Since then, the two have maintained a close relationship for many years — one rooted in Mayama's fascination with the culture and human drama behind scientific discovery.
“Frontier” is an essay series that delves into the captivating mind and personality of Furusawa — a scientist who constantly questions conventional wisdom and pushes into uncharted territory. Going far beyond standard corporate communications, the series aims to bridge the gap between cutting-edge technology and society at large. Through Mayama's distinctive literary perspective, it delivers the personal philosophy and vision of Furusawa as a human being, exploring a new model of media that connects the world of advanced technology with the wider public.
Part 1 (Available now): The Man Who Defies Common Sense and Opens New Frontiers
Part 2 (Released today): The Man Who Never Gives Up, Never Settles, and Keeps Challenging
Part 3: Scheduled for release in Autumn 2026
Born in Osaka in 1962, Jin Mayama graduated from Doshisha University with a degree in political science before working as a newspaper journalist and freelance writer. He made his literary debut in 2004 with Hagetaka (adapted for film as The Vulture), launching his career as a writer of hard-hitting social fiction grounded in meticulous on-the-ground reporting. His novels tackle the frontlines of contemporary society — from corporate takeovers and nuclear power to space exploration — and many have been adapted for television by NHK and TV Asahi, as well as for film.
Long drawn to the cutting edge of science and technology, Mayama has maintained a close relationship over many years with Akira Furusawa, a world-leading researcher in optical quantum computing and Director of OptQC. In 2023, he published Shippai suru Jiyū ga Chōetsu wo Umu (Shogakukan Shinsho), a richly detailed work based on in-depth interviews with Furusawa.
