During Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s recent visit to Washington, the US Department of Energy (DOE) and Japan Ministry of Education, Sports, Science & Technology (MEXT) announced a “Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Fusion Energy Demonstration & Commercialisation”. This followed talks between US Deputy Secretary of Energy David M. Turk and the Japan’s MEXT Minister Masahito Moryiama.
The statement said DOE and MEXT had “decided to form a major new strategic partnership to accelerate the demonstration and commercialisation of fusion energy” which would “focus on advancing the US Bold Decadal Vision for Commercial Fusion Energy & Strategy for International Partnerships in a New Era of Fusion Development, as well as the Japan Fusion Energy Innovation Strategy”.
Noting that fusion energy could deliver major societal and economic benefits, it added: “To fully realise these benefits, appropriate regulatory, social, and market policies are needed, alongside overcoming significant remaining technical challenges.
The US and Japan have a long history of collaborative activities in the area of fusion, including exchange programmes, joint research and joint planning covered by the Coordinating Committee on Fusion Energy (CCFE) The CCFE is implemented under the Japanese and US government agreement on Cooperation in Research & Development in Science & Technology (STA). The two countries are also participating in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) under construction in France.
“This new partnership leverages the CCFE and is expected to further develop complementarity between US and Japanese resources and facilities in fusion, including those in universities, national laboratories and private companies in the respective countries.” The partnership is intended to focus on the following:
- Addressing the scientific and technical challenges of delivering commercially viable fusion energy for various fusion systems, through activities conducted pursuant to the STA;
- Exploring opportunities for shared access and/or development of facilities required for fusion research and development, and for how a coordinated, strategic approach can maximise value for the US and Japan;
- Promoting the international harmonisation of regulatory frameworks and codes and standards, including leveraging of rule-making efforts by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission as well as ongoing discussions under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Agile Nations Fusion Energy Working Group;
- Identifying and supporting the development of resilient global supply chains that facilitate commercial fusion deployment, welcoming and considering discussions among fusion industry groups in the respective countries;
- Supporting public engagement with communities to facilitate a social licence for deploying fusion energy and supporting an equitable clean-energy transition; and
- Promoting skills development to ensure the people and talent growth necessary for the robust, inclusive and diverse workforce required by the fusion sector in the next decade and beyond.
DOE and MEXT intend to drive the work of this strategic partnership through the CCFE, which is co-chaired by DOE and MEXT and is expected to meet in the coming months. The CCFE is expected to identify and delineate priority collaborative opportunities “to realise our shared vision for fusion energy as an integral part of the world’s future energy supply”.
Image: US Deputy Secretary of Energy David M. Turk and Japan's Minister of Education, Sports, Science and Technology, Masahito Moriyama met in Washington, DC on 9th April to discuss ways the US and Japan can work together to advance fusion energy and establish a major new strategic partnership to accelerate fusion demonstration and commercialisation
