According to an article on the July 25, 200 the wire service Business in Asia Today (http://www.asiapulse.com), The Japan Atomic Energy Commission has opened talks on Japan's bid to host the ITER fusion experimental reactor, a collaborative project among Europe, Japan and Russia to demonstrate the technological feasibility of fusion energy for peaceful purposes. The article states, "Building the world's first experimental fusion energy reactor, which generates energy from nuclear fusion at the level of a commercial power station, is expected to cost 500 billion yen (US$4.6 billion). In Japan, the Hokkaido, Aomori and Ibaraki prefectures have expressed their interest in making a bid. To host the ITER project in Japan, the central government will need the taxpayers' consent to contribute some 375 billion yen, or 75% of the construction costs."