FPN05-79

Croatian Ambassador to Head ITER Organization

November 11, 2005

At a meeting 7 November 2005 in Vienna, Austria, the six ITER Parties (China, European Union, Japan, Korea, Russia and United States) agreed to appoint the Japanese Ambassador to Croatia, Kaname Ikeda, as Director General of the ITER Organization. Ikeda, a "graduate nuclear engineer," joined the then Science and Technology Agency of the Japanese government in 1968 and served as head of the research and development bureau and deputy vice minister, as well as director of the now-defunct National Space Agency of Japan. He has been Japanese Ambassador to Croatia since 2003.

An official of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology said Ikeda was recommended for the post by the Japanese government because "he is versed in science and technology policies and has also been involved in major international projects." A statement from the six Parties after the Vienna meeting states that he "has extensive experience in the management of large scale high technology projects and international cooperations."

The six Parties "asked Mr. Ikeda to take up his duties promptly." However, the ITER Organization, which he will head, will not be formed officially until the six Parties sign an international agreement formalizing all aspects of the ITER venture. Officials said they hoped to finalize an agreement by the end of the year.

At the Vienna meeting, the six Parties also said they looked favorably on a request by India to join the ITER venture and asked India to provide an official letter requesting to join. The ITER team is now working "to review the necessary adjustments to be made to the provisional allocations among the ITER Parties of responsibilities for procuring components" should India join.