FPN09-21
Japan Opens New Fusion Site
April 29, 2009
On April 10, the Japanese government officially opened the new
International Fusion Energy Research Center in Rokkosho. The site is
sometimes also referred to as the "Broader Approach Site" since it was
conceived during negotiations between Europe and Japan in deciding the site
for ITER. As part of the agreement to locate ITER in Europe, Europe and
Japan agreed to cooperate in developing a broader range of activities aimed
at developing the technologies required for a commercial fusion energy
source. Central to the EU-Japan activities based in Rokkosho will be the
proposed International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) and
related Engineering Validation and Engineering Design Activities (EVEDA).
In addition to the facility just commissioned, Rokkosho will also be the
home of other "broader approach" activities, including a supercomputer and
remote handling building, a fusion demonstration reactor R&D building, and
an IFMIF accelerator prototype building. These latter buildings are
scheduled for occupancy in March 2010.
In contrast to the EU-Japan focus and commitment to fusion engineering
development aimed towards a demonstration power plant, the U.S. has
essentially eliminated fusion engineering and technology development from
its fusion portfolio, focusing instead on fusion "science".