Fusion companies sign agreements during Japan-Germany meeting

Last week during a visit to Japan, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The two leaders issued a joint declaration on advanced technology cooperation, including a commitment to collaborate on stellarator and laser-based fusion energy technologies. Coinciding with the visit and the signing of the bilateral declaration, several German and Japanese fusion organizations announced new agreements to cooperate on various aspects of fusion development and commercialization.

According to a joint statement, "The two leaders underscored that collaboration and exchange in the field of advanced technology, including space and fusion energy, is a key pillar of bilateral ties."

The companies: Kyoto Fusioneering, Helical Fusion, and Fujikura are based in Japan, and Kyoto Fusioneering also has a subsidiary based in Germany. Proxima Fusion and Gauss Fusion are based in Germany, and Focused Energy is a German-American company.

Kyoto Fusioneering is developing plasma heating systems, tritium fuel cycle technologies, and tritium breeding blanket and thermal cycle systems, many of which can be applied across multiple fusion concepts. Helical, Proxima, and Gauss are pursuing stellarator concepts. Focused Energy is pursuing laser-driven inertial fusion, and Fujikura is a technology company with products including high temperature superconducting tape for fusion applications.

The agreements:

Proxima Fusion and Fujikura signed a memorandum of understanding to explore an industrial-scale manufacturing facility for high-temperature superconducting (HTS) tape in Germany, aiming to strengthen the supply chain for the deployment of fusion energy. According to Proxima, as a first step, the partners will evaluate the technical, commercial, and economic requirements for establishing production. In September, Proxima signed an MOU with the State of Lower Saxony to lay the foundations for HTS tape production in the region. Fujikura has an established relationship with Kyoto Fusioneering.

Kyoto Fusioneering and Proxima Fusion signed an MOU to expand their cooperation on gyrotrons for plasma heating and on fuel cycle technologies.

Focused Energy and Kyoto Fusioneering signed an MOU to strengthen cooperation between the Japanese and German fusion industries. The companies plan to work with Germany's fusion research hubs and explore potential areas for joint development, including fuel and target technologies, the tritium fuel cycle, materials for extreme conditions, and diagnostics.

The Institute of Laser Engineering at Osaka University and Focused Energy signed an MOU covering laser design, ignition concepts, and diagnostics. According to Focused Energy, joint experiments, scientist exchanges, and publications are planned.

Mitsui & Co., Kyoto Fusioneering, and Siemens Energy Global signed an MOU.

Helical Fusion and Gauss Fusion signed a Joint statement of intent that establishes a framework for closer dialogue and the exploration of opportunities for cooperation between the companies. The statement reflects a shared commitment to private-sector leadership in advancing stellarator technologies for fusion commercialization while recognizing that each company will continue to pursue its own approach. Helical Fusion is developing a helical stellarator, and Gauss Fusion is developing a modular stellarator.

Backing fusion: For Germany, this is a continuation of several recent announcements supporting fusion energy in the country. In October, Germany's Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovation established a milestone-based fusion program, through which the German government intends to provide financial support to fusion companies-particularly start-ups-to advance fusion technology development.

Earlier this year, Germany established three fusion energy hubs. The laser fusion hub is coordinated by Focused Energy and Marvel Fusion; the magnetic fusion hub, which focuses on stellarators, is coordinated by Gauss Fusion, Proxima Fusion, and the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics; and the fuel cycles and materials hub is coordinated by Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.