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Fusion first: Construction of ITER, the multibillion-dollar fusion experiment in St Paullez-Durance, France, is poised to kick into high gear. On 13 April, Fusion for Energy (F4E), the European Union's [...]

A massive international nuclear fusion experiment planned for Cadarache, France, is set to cost up to 30% more than anticipated and be delayed by as much as three years, governments [...]

Fusion research in the United States has an uncertain future, as the nation's committment to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) will become the victim of serious budget cuts. If the US government decides to reduce its financial contributions the other members of ITER will have to change their policies. Fusion research in ITER is popular in Japan, which has limited non-nuclear resources, and in the UK. The Japanese Federation of Economic Organizations would like a proposed thermonuclear reactor to be constructed in Japan.

The Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) researchers has started designing a steady-state tokamak fusion reactor to replace the JT-60 tokamak and to keep Japan at the forefront of fusion research. JAERI wants to build a tokamak capable of maintaining a heated deuterium-deuterium plasma for 100 to 1,000 seconds, far longer than existing tokamaks can do. However, JAERI's project may not get government approval if it conflicts with Japan's participation in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor.