University Startup Opens New Fusion R&D Center in Tokyo

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Fusion power is often called a "dream energy" for its potential to decarbonize society and provide an unlimited fuel supply.

As American billionaires pour in investments and research accelerates worldwide, key technologies for practical fusion energy are now being developed in Heiwajima, Tokyo.

We visited the newly opened facility launched in January by Kyoto Fusioneering, a Kyoto University startup based in Ota Ward, Tokyo.

Uncharted Territory

Fusion energy harnesses the immense heat released when light atomic nuclei, such as hydrogen, collide and form heavier nuclei, generating power. Because this is the same process that powers the sun, fusion is often described as "creating the sun on Earth."

The hydrogen isotopes used as fuel — deuterium and tritium — can reportedly be extracted abundantly from seawater. Fusion produces no carbon dioxide and generates no high-level radioactive waste, making it a next-generation energy source now under rapid development.

While much attention is being focused on the technology needed to trigger fusion reactions, commercial fusion power requires more than that. It also requires efficient conversion of heat into electricity and effective fuel use— areas where Kyoto Fusioneering focuses its efforts.

"Many startups worldwide say they'll achieve fusion by 2030, but there's a crucial missing piece no one else is addressing. That's what we're tackling," says Daisuke Nakahara, Vice President of Public Affairs and Corporate Planning at Kyoto Fusioneering.

Fuel Recycling System

In fusion, about 90% of the injected fuel does not react and must be recovered from the reactor and reused. The new facility focuses on developing this critical fuel cycle system, and no actual fusion reactions are conducted on-site.

Tritium, a low-level radioactive isotope, is not handled here. Tests are instead carried out using hydrogen and deuterium. This eliminates the need for special radiation precautions.

During our tour, we saw a massive system lined with pumps, including powerful units that remove hydrogen gas from the vacuum chamber. Beyond the pumps were devices designed to filter out impurities and extract hydrogen isotopes.

In another area, the team is developing equipment to store extracted hydrogen isotopes and supply them as fuel when needed. They are also working on systems to separate tritium from water generated during the fuel cycle and safely discharge it.

After completing equipment development in Tokyo, Kyoto Fusioneering plans to start tritium tests next year at its Ontario, Canada, facility, where handling tritium is permitted.

Aiming to Be the World's First to Generate Power

Kyoto Fusioneering was founded in 2019 by CEO Satoshi Konishi, a longtime fusion reactor researcher at Kyoto University. To drive its business forward, the company later moved its headquarters to Otemachi, Tokyo.

It has also established research hubs in Kyoto, Hyogo, and other regions. These sites have been developing technologies to heat plasma for fusion reactions and systems to efficiently extract heat from the reactor core for power generation.

Meanwhile, the company's fuel-related research, previously conducted at various sites, has since been consolidated at its new Heiwajima facility. Its headquarters have also been relocated there.

Talented individuals from around the world, including Europe, the United States, South Korea, and New Zealand, have joined the team. Kyoto Fusioneering is also engaged in joint research with companies and research institutions both in Japan and abroad.

"Globally, people are beginning to recognize that partnering with us is the fastest path to realizing a fusion power plant," Nakahara says proudly.

For decades, fusion power has been dismissed as "always 30 years away" or a "mirage" due to immense technical challenges. But after touring a facility at the forefront of developing technologies beyond just fusion reactions, the dream of fusion energy feels closer than ever.

Author: Maki Matsuda, The Sankei Shimbun

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