Japan's Minister of State for Science and Technlogy, Hirofumi Nakasone, met with US DOE Energy Secretary Bill Richardson to discuss future cooperative activities between the two countries.

A joint statement issued May 3 states in part, "The Minister and the Secretary took note of the history of successful U.S.-Japanese collaboration in fusion energy science and technology research. The Secretary welcomed STA's decision to host a conference in Tokyo to commemorate and review 20 years of U.S.-Japanese fusion research collaboration. The Minister and the Secretary recognized the potential value of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project in developing the scientific basis to promote fusion as a viable energy source. The Minister said he would welcome the U.S. rejoining the ITER project."

The joint statement also describes U.S.-Japan cooperations in the areas of nuclear nonproliferation, nuclear energy research and development, nuclear safety and emergency preparedness, and basic scientific research.

The release is accessible from the DOE home page: //www.doe.gov/