Japan Announces National Strategy For Fusion Energy

Japan announced a national strategy for fusion energy industrialization on Friday, April 13, calling for an integration of public and private sector activities towards fusion energy commercialization.

The strategy, compiled by the Cabinet Office, lays out the importance of fusion energy as a means to increase energy security, address the climate crisis, and provide its early developers and adopters a global competitive advantage. In addition to outlining the strategic benefits, the report highlights the need to accelerate and combine public and private efforts towards commercialization, and lay “the foundation for a future fusion industry ecosystem… which will be a new measure to accelerate the realization of fusion energy.”

“Our strategy for the next 10 years is to ‘industrialize fusion energy,’ … the world’s next-generation energy source.

To achieve this vision, it is necessary to promote further participation of Japan’s private sector and cooperation between industry, academia, and government, and to develop a national strategy that includes specific actions that will attract private investment.”

The main scope of the strategy is: to foster the fusion industry, advance the development of fusion technologies, and promote a strategy of innovation.

Among other activities, Japan’s strategy outlines:

• Creating a Fusion Industry Council to foster industry, academia, and government collaboration
• Further support of private companies and start-up R&D
• Participation with like-minded countries (like the US and UK) in regulatory discussions
• Developing studies on fusion technology and ways to support research
• Accelerating the fusion DEMO program
• Establishing additional channels for fusion development in government
• Increasing fusion activity at the university level

The Fusion Industry Association supports Japan’s multifaceted strategy, and advocates for increasing collaborative efforts between public and private sectors to drive fusion commercialization. FIA member firms Kyoto Fusioneering, Helical Fusion, and EX-Fusion are based in Japan and will benefit from the increase in collaboration. Furthermore, this strategy allows various leading technology industries based in Japan, like Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the potential to be global leaders in industrializing fusion.

April 21st, 2023