全球聚变能源趋势2026-Global Fusion Energy Trends

FUSIONFOR

ENERGY

GlobalFusionEnergyTrends

ReportfromtheF4EFusionObservatory

Funding•Performance•Research•Innovation

AcomparativeAnalysisofChina,EU,Japan,UK,andtheUSA

2

Foreword

Fusion—anenergyforthefuture

FusionistheprocessthatpowerstheSunandotherstars.ReproducingitonEarthhasthepotentialtoprovidesafe,clean,andvirtuallylimitlessenergy.Thefuelsrequiredarewidelyavailable,withverysmallquantitiescapableofreleasinglargeamountsofenergy.Fusionproducesnogreenhousegasesorlong-livedradioactivewaste,anditisinherentlysafe.Asasteadypowersupply,fusioncancomplementrenewablesandstrengthenEurope'slong-termenergysecurityandautonomy.

FusionforEnergy

FusionforEnergy(F4E)istheEuropeanUnion'sorganisationforthedevelopmentoffusionenergy.ItisresponsibleforEurope'scontributiontoITER—thelargestinternationalfusionexperiment,amountingtonearlyhalfoftheproject.Inparallel,F4EiscontributingtomajorfusionprojectssuchastheJT-60SAtokamakaswellastheIFMIF-EVEDAandIFMIF-DONESmaterialstestingfacilities.Theknowledgeandexpertiseacquiredwillfeedintotheconstructionoffuturefusionpowerplants.

Europe'sinvestmentinfusiongeneratesbusinessopportunities.F4Eworkswithanimpressivesupplychainconnectinglargecompanies,SMEsandlaboratoriestomanufacturecomplexcomponents,deliveradvancedtechnologiesandprovideinfrastructure.Since2007,F4Ehassignedmorethan1400contractswithover2700Europeancompaniesandlaboratories,injectingover€7billioninthefusionsupplychain.Theskills,technologytransfers,andbusinessopportunitiesarepavingthewayforaEuropeanfusionindustrythatiscompetitiveandresilient.

F4EFusionObservatory

TheF4EFusionObservatoryprovidesobjectiveanalysisandintelligenceonworldwideandEuropeanfusionpolicies,R&D,technologies,investmentsandindustrialactivityforthebenefitofEuropeanpolicymakers,thescientificcommunityandotherinterestedparties.

3

TableofContents

01—ExecutiveSummaryandActorFiles4

02—FusionFundingLandscape

17

OverallFunding

18

Actor-LevelFundingStructures

18

ActorProfiles:ChinaEUJapanUKUS

19

BroaderSupplyChainFootprint

22

03—FusionDevices:Capabilities,Performance&theNextGeneration

25

FusionActivity

25

FusionPerformance

28

TheNextGeneration:DevicesUnderConstructionorPlanned

32

04—ScientificOutputandResearchImpact

37

PublicationVolumeandCitationImpact

37

PublicationGrowth

39

LeadingPublishingInstitutions

40

CommercialFusionCompanies

43

05—TheIntellectualPropertyLandscape

47

PatentHoldingsandComposition

47

PatentGrowthTrajectory

49

LeadingPatentingApplicants

50

TechnologyFocusAreas

52

06—TheFusionRegulatoryLandscape

55

RegulatoryFrameworks

56

TheFusionRegulatoryTimeline

60

Annex1—DescriptionoftheMethodologyUsedintheReport59

Annex2—References67

4

01

ExecutiveSummary

Thepursuitoffusionenergyhasenteredamoreactiveandstrategicallyimportantphase.Between2022and2025,thefiveactorsexamined—China,theEU,Japan,theUKandtheUS—mobilisedorformallycommittedapproximately€20.35billioninidentifiedpublicfundingandprivatecapitalraised.Behindthisfigurearedifferentapproachesbyeachoftheactorstofinancing,research,industrialisationandregulation.

ThisreportfromtheFusionforEnergy(F4E)FusionObservatorycomparesthefiveactorsacrossfivequantitativedimensions—publicfunding,privatecapitalraised,fusionactivity,publicationsandpatents—andreviewstheirregulatoryframeworks.Theactorprofilesthatfollowbringthesedimensionstogethertohighlighttheprincipalstrengths,constraintsandstrategicchoiceswithineachfusionecosystem.

TheUScombinesthelargestidentifiedfundingtotalwiththedeepestventure-capitalbaseandthelargestaccumulatedpublicationandcitationrecord.TheEUisanchoredinITERandabroad,distributedpublicresearchnetwork,andleadspublicationoutputintherecentperiodexamined.Japancombinesamaturescientificbasewithagrowingindustrial-policyandprivate-sectorpush.TheUKhasthemostcentralisedprogrammeamongthefiveactors,centredonUKAEAandSTEP,andestablishedanearlyandclearlydefinednon-fissionregulatorypathway.

Thefollowingstructuralfindingsemerge:

1USandChinaleadfundingthroughdifferentmodels

TheUShasthelargestidentifiedtotalfor2022–2025at€7.38billion,comprising€4.97billioninpublicfundingand€2.41billioninprivatecapitalraised.Chinafollowswith€6.94billionoverallandhasthelargestestimatedpublictotal,at€5.45billion.Approximately€3.73billionofChina’spublicfundingisthroughsupporttostate-controlledcommercialentities.TheEUaccountsfor€3.34billion,including€2.12billioninITERin-kindprocurementmanagedbyF4E.TheUKandJapanremainpredominantlypubliclyfinanced.Acrossallfiveactors,publicfinancerepresentsapproximately78%ofidentifiedfundingandcontinuestocarrymostofthefinancialandtechnologicalrisk.

2TheUSdominatesidentifiedprivatefusioncapital

USfusioncompaniesraised€2.41billionbetween2022and2025—54%oftheprivatecapitalidentifiedacrossthefiveactors.Chinafollowsatapproximately€1.50billion,withtheEUat€340million,Japanat€138millionandtheUKat€70million.Power-purchaseandofftakeagreementsinvolvingMicrosoft,Google,HelionandCommonwealthFusionSystems(CFS)indicateearlycustomerinterestbutremainconditionalondevelopingfacilitiesandtechnologiesthathavenotyetdeliveredcommercialfusionelectricity.OutsidetheUS,theprivate-capitalbaseisthinner,creatingaparticularscale-upchallengeforEurope.

5

3TheUShasthebroadestactivedevicebase,butnoactorhasyetdemonstratedanintegratedpower-plantcapability

Thefiveactorshave83operating,under-constructionandplannedfusiondevicesintheircombinedpipeline,ofwhich42areactive.TheUSleadswith14activedevices,followedbyChinawith9,theEUandJapanwith8each,andtheUKwith3.Nodeviceyetcombineshighfusionperformancewiththeplant-relevantduration,repeatabilityandintegratedtechnologiesneededforpracticalelectricitygeneration.TheUSNationalIgnitionFacility,theEU-UKJETdeviceandJapan'sJT-60Uallachievedhighfusionperformancebutforshortperiods/lowdutycycle.Fourdevicesunderconstruction:ITER,SPARC,BESTandJT-60SA,aimtoaddresscomplementarypartsofthischallenge,whileawidergroupofpublicandprivatedemonstratorsistargetingthe2030sandearly2040s.Manyofthesedatesareprogrammeordevelopertargetsratherthanindependentlyvalidatedschedules.

4TheUSandEUdominatescientificoutput,whilethebalanceisshifting

TheUSandEUtogetheraccountforapproximately65%ofpublicationsand75%ofcitationsinthefive-actorfull-recorddatasetofscientificpublications.TheUSretainsthelargestaccumulatedtotals,witharound50,300publicationsand42%ofcitations.TheEUisclosebehindhistoricallyandleadsoverthelast20-yearpublicationwindow,withashareof34.2%.Chinahasexpandedrapidlytobecomethethird-largestrecentcontributor.Theinstitutionalevidencealsohighlightscontrastingresearchmodels.Thetop20publishinginstitutionsincludesevenEUinstitutions,sixfromtheUS,threefromChina,twofromJapan,UKAEAandtheITEROrganization.EUoutputisdistributedacrossanetworkofnationallaboratories,whileChineseactivityisconcentratedinasmallernumberof

leadinginstitutions.TheUScombinesmajornationallaboratories,universitiesandlargepubliclysupportedresearchfacilities.

5Chinahasbyfarthelargestidentifiedfusionpatentportfolio

Chinaaccountsfor1,335alivefusionpatentfamilies—approximately60%ofthefive-actortotal—with13ofthetop20patentingorganisationslocatedthere.ThisisfollowedbytheUSwith438,Japanwith154,theEUwith143andtheUKwith140.Around95%oftheidentifiedChinesepatentfamilieshadnopublishedfamilymemberoutsideChinaatthecut-off.Chinaleadsnumericallyacrossmostofthetechnologycategoriesexamined,whiletheUShasacomparativelystronginertial-fusionportfolioandtheUK,USandChinahavesimilartotalsinsuperconductingdevices.OutsideChina,patentleadershipisconcentratedinprivatefusioncompanies,withTokamakEnergy,CFSandShineamongthelargestpatentholders.

6Regulatoryprinciplesareconverging,butlegalmodelsremaindifferent

Thefiveactorsincreasinglyfavourgraded,risk-informedandtechnology-neutralregulation,buttheyarenotadoptingasingleinstitutionalmodel.TheUKandUShaveestablishedpathwaysoutsidethelicensingregimesusedforfissionreactors.ChinaplacesfusionwithinitsAtomicEnergyLawwhilerequiringspecialisedandgradedsupervision.Japanhasadoptedguidingsafetyprinciplesandisdevelopingdetailedarrangements.TheEUalreadyhasanoperationalfoundationthroughnationalcompetentauthoritiesandEuratomrequirements;France’sregulationofITERdemonstrateshowanexistingnuclearframeworkcanbeadaptedtofusion-specifichazards.ENSREGisnowexaminingwheregreaterEuropeancoordinationcouldimproveconsistencyandpredictability.

6

AFive-DimensionalComparison

China

State-ledindustrialstrategy

US

Privatecapitalbackedecosystem

EU

ITER-anchoredpublicresearchbase

Japan

Publicanchor,privatepivot

READINGTHERADARS

PublicFunding—PublicFundingincl.ITERin-kind

PrivateFunding—Inwardprivatecapitalraised

Patents—Alivefusionpatentfamilies

Publications—Scientificoutputvolume

FusionActivity—Activedevicebase

Indexnormalisedtothegroupleader(1.0=leader).

Theindicatorscomparescaleonly;theydonotmeasurequality,efficiency,technologicalperformanceormaturity.

UK

Centralisedprogramme;clearnon-fissionregulatorypathway

7

China

State-directedindustrialpathway

Chinahasthemoststate-directedfusionprogrammeamongthefiveactors,treatingthetechnologyasindustrialpolicyandbackingitwiththelargestidentifiedpublicfundingpool—€5.45billionover2022–2025,or34%ofthefive-actorpublictotal.Acentralfeatureisthechannellingofapproximatelytwo-thirdsofthisfundingintostate-controlledcommercialisationvehicles,creatingacloselyintegratedpublic–commercialarchitecture.Chinaalsohasthelargestidentifiedpatentportfolio,with1,335alivefamilies,or60%ofthefive-actortotal,althougharound95%hadnopublishedforeignfamilymember.ItsEASTtokamaksustaineda1,066-secondplasmainJanuary2025,shortlybeforeWESTinFranceachieved1,337seconds.China’spublicationoutputisgrowingrapidly,butitsyoungerportfoliohasaccumulatedfewercitationsperpaper.WiththeAtomicEnergyLawnowinforce,Chinacombinesscaleandpolicyalignmentwithadetailedcommerciallicensingframeworkthatisstillevolving.

PUBLICFUNDING

PRIVATEFUNDING

ALIVEPATENTS

PUBLICATIONS

ACTIVEDEVICES

€5.45B

€1.5B

1,335

22,591

9

34%offiveactor

34%offiveactor

60%offiveactortotal

15%offiveactortotal

67%tokamaks

publicfunding

privatefunding

COMPETITIVENESSPROFILE

Normalised0–1·groupleader=1.00

FUSIONDEVELOPERS&DEVICESITES

IAEAFFDB·May2026

SUNIST-2(StartorusFusion)

OperatingPlanned/underconstruction

Sphericaltokamak

HL-3(SWIP)Langfang

Tokamak

Xi’an

Hefei

ChengduWuhan

CFQS(SWJTU)

Stellarator—underconstruction

HHMAX-901(HanhaiFE)

FRC

HefeiEAST(IPP-CAS)

Tokamak

HH70(EnergySingularity)

Tokamak

ChinaFusionEnergy(CNNC)

Tokamak—planned

EXL-2(ENN)

Sphericaltokamak—plannedShanghai

J-TEXT(Huazhong)

Tokamak

EXL-50U(ENN)

Sphericaltokamak

BEST(NeoFusion)

Tokamak—underconstruction

CFEDR(IPP-CAS)

Tokamak—planned

CRAFT(IPP-CAS)

Testplatform

KTX(USTC)

Reversedfieldpinch

8

CRAFTisenablingresearchinfrastructureandisshownforcontext;itisnotincludedinthefusion-devicecount

STRATEGICPOSTURE

01

Chinapursuesfusionasstate-ledindustrialpolicy,integratingcentralplanning,state-backedcommercialisationvehiclesandasequencednationalroadmapintoacoordinatedprogrammeanchoredbyChinaFusionEnergyCo.(CFEC),aCNNC-ledconsortiumof25stateenterprises,researchinstitutesanduniversities.Fusionwasdesignatedastrategicfrontiertechnologyunderthe14thFive-YearPlanandelevatedto“FutureIndustry”statusunderthe15th(2026–2030).Implementationfollowsasequentialpathway:scientificbreakevenviaBESTaround2030,operationoftheChinaFusionEngineeringDemonstrationReactor(CFEDR)fromthe2030s,andcommercialfusionpowerby20507.

02FUNDING&PRIVATECAPITALRAISED→Ch.2

Identifiedpublicfundingmobilisedorcommittedover2022–2025totalsapproximately€5.45billion(incl.€431millionITERin-kind).Thedefiningfeatureisthepublic-to-privatechannel,capturing68%ofnationaloutlays(€3.73billion),capitalisingstate-backedvehicles:CFEC(€1.9billionregisteredcapital)andNEOFusion(€1.85billion,theBESTplatform).Privatecapital-backedstartups—EnergySingularity,ENN,StartorusFusion—raised€1.5billion.

04INNOVATIONOUTPUT→Ch.4-5

1,335alivepatentfamilies—60%offiveactortotal—combining

608grants,594applications,133utilitymodels.LeadingapplicantsareHFIPS/CAS(317),NEOFusion(209)andSWIP(198).Around95%hadnopublishedforeignfamilymemberattheanalysiscut-off.22,591publicationsplaceChinathirdamongthefiveactortotal;citationsharehasnearlydoubledsince2006,thoughper-paperimpactremainslowestofthefiveactors.

03DEVICES&PERFORMANCE→Ch.3

12devicesinpipeline;9active(7operating,2underconstruction).AnchoredbyEAST(ASIPP,Hefei)andHL-3(SWIP,Chengdu).EnergySingularity'sHH70becametheworld'sfirstoperationalHTStokamakinJune2024.BESTisunderconstruction,withfirstplasmatargetedforlate2027orearly2028.EnablinginfrastructureincludingtheComprehensiveResearchFacilityforFusionTechnology(CRAFT)campus(ASIPP,Hefei).

05GOVERNANCE®ULATION→Ch.6

TheAtomicEnergyLawadoptedSeptember2025,inforce15January2026—acomprehensiveatomic-energystatutethatexplicitlyincludesfusionandprovidesforgradedsupervision.NNSA(underMEE)leadsregulation;CAEApromotesthesector.Detailedimplementingandproject-levellicensingarrangementsremainunderdevelopment.

+STRENGTHS

•Largeststate-directedpublicfundingpooloffiveactortotal;strongFive-Year-Planalignment

•Largestidentifiedpatentportfolio(60%offive-actortotal),withpublicinstitutes,universitiesandcommercialentities

•Amongworldleadersinsustained-pulseoperationthroughEAST(1,066s),BESTtokamakoperationalin2027

•Rapidlygrowinginfrastructure-theComprehensiveResearchFacilityforFusionTechnology(CRAFT)campus

–CHALLENGES

•Lowestper-papercitationimpactofthefiveactors(~10vs~24US/UK)

•Around95%hadnopublishedforeignfamilymemberattheanalysiscut-off

•Foundationallawinforce,implementingregulationsstillpending

Chinacombinesthelargestidentifiedpublicfundingbaseofanyactorwithrapidgrowthindevices,enablinginfrastructure—includingtheBESTdevice,duetooperatein2027—arisingshareoffusionpublications,andworldleadershipinpatents,albeitmostlyfileddomestically;itsfoundationalfusionregulationisnowinforce.

9

EuropeanUnion

ScientificexcellenceanddepthwithITERascornerstone

TheEUcombinesadeepscientificresearchbasewithitsroleashostandprincipalcontributortotheITERInternationalProject,withinacomparativelydistributedarchitectureofMemberStateprogrammesandEUinitiatives.Identifiednon-ITERpublicfundingof€877millionrisestoapproximately€2.99billionwhenITERin-kindcontributionsmanagedbyF4Eareincluded.TheEUhasthesecond-largestaccumulatedpublicationtotalandthelargestshareinthe2006–May2026window,withseveninstitutionsinthefive-actortop20.Itsactivedevicebaseisexclusivelypublicandincludesmajortokamakandstellaratorfacilities:JETholdsmagnetic-fusionenergyrecords,Wendelstein7-Xistheworld’slargeststellaratorandWESTholdsthetokamakplasma-durationrecord.Theprincipalchallengesareamodestpatentfootprint,aprivate-capitalbasewellbelowtheUSlevelandtheneedtoconvertadistributedsetofnationalandEUstrengthsintoindustrialscale.

PUBLICFUNDING

PRIVATEFUNDING

ALIVEPATENTS

PUBLICATIONS

ACTIVEDEVICES

€3B

€340M

143

48,820

8

incl.ITERviaF4E

14%ofUSamount

6%offiveactortotal

32%offiveactortotal

dualtokamak/stellarator

(excludingITER)

COMPETITIVENESSPROFILE

Normalised0–1·groupleader=1.00

N1(NovatronFusion)

Mirror—underconstruction

Wendelstein7-X(IPP)

Stellarator

COMPASS-U(IPPCzech)

Tokamak—underconstruction

GaussGIGA(GaussFusion)

Stellarator—planned

FocusedEnergy

Laser/inertial—planned

RFX-Mod2(ConsorzioRFX)

Reversedfieldpinch—underconstruction

DTT(ENEA)

Tokamak—underconstruction

Lausanne

Grenoble

LeBarp

Cadarache

Madrid

Laser/inertial

GenF

Laser/inertial

ITER(ITEROrganization)

Tokamak—underconstruction

TCV(SwissPlasma)

Tokamak

RenaissanceFusion

Stellarator—planned

WEST(CEA)

Tokamak

TJ-II(CIEMAT)

Stellarator

FUSIONDEVELOPERS&DEVICESITES

Stockholm

Greifswald

Munich

Padua

Frascati

HanauPrague

Darmstadt

IAEAFFDB·May2026

OperatingPlanned/underconstruction

MarvelFusion

Laser/inertial—planned·Munich

ASDEXUpgrade(IPP)

Tokamak·Garching

ProximaFusion

Stellarator·Munich

Garching

Munich

LMJ(CEA)

10

01

STRATEGICPOSTURE

TheEUcombinesdeepscientificoutputandhostoftheITERInternationalProjectwithacomparativelydistributedarchitectureofMemberStateprogrammesandEUinitiatives.Over2022–2025,national-levelpublicfundingof€877millionrisesto€3billionincludingITERcontributions.Germany’sfusionstrategyaimstomakeGermanyaglobalfusionleader—andtohosttheworld’sfirstfusionpowerplant—byincreasingresearchfunding,strengtheningindustry–sciencepartnershipsanddevelopingenablinginfrastructureandregulation.AnEUfusionstrategyisanticipatedinthesecondhalfof2026.

02FUNDING&PRIVATECAPITALRAISED→Ch.2

EUfundingsplitsacrosspublic-to-public(83%,incl.the€2.12billionITERcontributionsand€641millionfromEUROfusion),public-to-private(7%)andprivate(10%).Nationalprogrammescomplementthis,notablyGermany’s€1.7billionFusion2040.Privatecapitalraisedduringthe2022-2025periodtotalled€340million,aprivate-capitalbaseequaltoapproximately14%oftheUStotal.F4E’sITERprocurementhasplaced€7.2billionincontractstosupplychaincompaniesandlaboratoriesacrossEUMemberStates.

04INNOVATIONOUTPUT→Ch.4-5

48,820publications(32%offive-actortotal)and~928,000citationsonthefullrecord;thelargestpublicationshareinthe2006–2026window.TheMaxPlanckInstituteforPlasmaPhysicsisthesecond-largestinstitutioninthefive-actordataset;sevenEUinstitutionssitinthefive-actortotaltop20.Patentoutputismodestat143alivefamilies(6%),ledbyemergingfirms—Proxima(9),Marvel(7),Renaissance(7)andNovatron(6).

03DEVICES&PERFORMANCE→Ch.3

22devicesinthepipeline,ofwhich8areactive—anexclusivelypublicactivebase.AnchorsareASDEXUpgrade,Wendelstein7-X(world’slargeststellarator)andWEST(worldtokamakplasma-durationrecord,1,337s,February2025).DTT(Frascati,underconstruction)addressespowerexhaustforDEMO.PreparationsforJT-60SA’snextoperatingphaseareunderway,withplasmaoperationstargetedbytheendof2026.Themixistokamaks(50%)withsignificantstellaratoractivity(25%).

05GOVERNANCE®ULATION→Ch.6

Fusionfacilitiesarelicensedbynationalcompetentauthoritiesundernationalradiation-protection,environmentaland,whereapplicable,nuclearlegislation,withintheEuratomlegalbaseline.France’sregulationofITERdemonstrateshowanexistingnuclearframeworkcanbeadaptedtofusion.GermanyadoptedaFusionActionPlanin2025,whileItalypresentedadraftenablingbilltoParliament.ENSREGisexaminingwheregreaterEuropeancoordinationcouldimproveconsistencyandpredictability.

+STRENGTHS

•HostofITERprojectandlargestcontributorwith€7.2billionsupply-chainofEUindustrythroughF4E.

•FusionpowerrecordsheldbyJETtokamak(EU-UK)albeitnowbeingdecommissioned.

•Plasma-durationrecord(WEST,1,337s)andworld'slargeststellarator(W7-X).

•Largestpublisherinthe2006–2026window(34.2%)withhighimpact

–CHALLENGES

•Structuralprivate-capitalgap—theEUtotalisapproximately14%oftheUStotalover2022–2025

•Modestpatentfootprint(6%offiveactortotal)andlowPublic-to-Privatemobilisation

•NosingleEUlicensingprocedure;coordinationacrossnationalframeworksisdevelopingthroughENSREG

TheEU’sstrengthslieinscientificdepth,ITERdelivery,abroadpublicdeviceportfolioandanestablishedindustrialsupplychain.Thecentralchallengeistoconvertthesedistributedassetsintofasterprivate-sectorscale-upwhileimprovingcoordinationacrossMemberStateandEUinitiatives.

11

Japan

Scientificexcellencepivotingtoindustrialpolicy

Japancombinesamaturescientificandtechnologicalbasewithaclearpivottowardsindustrialpolicy.TherevisedFusionEnergyInnovationStrategyofJune2025targetsdemonstrationoffusionelectricityinthe2030sandplacesindustrialisationatthecentreofnationalpolicy.QSTleadstokamakresearchandITERparticipationatNaka,whileNIFSanchorsthehelicalandstellaratorprogrammeatToki;Japanalsoholdsthehistoricalpeakmagnetic-fusiontriple-productrecordthroughJT-60U.Privateactivityisexpandingrapidly,withtheJ-Fusioncouncilgrowingfrom21tomorethan90membersin18monthsandparticipationfrommajortradinghouses.Japanhasthemostdiversifiedactiveconfigurationmixamongthefiveactorsandasubstantialpublicationbase.Itsmainconstraintsarethesmallestoverallidentifiedfundingtotalofthefiveactors,amodestinternationalpatentportfolioanddetailedsafetyarrangementsforfuturepilotplantsthatremainunderdevelopment.

PUBLICFUNDING

PRIVATEFUNDING

ALIVEPATENTS

PUBLICATIONS

ACTIVEDEVICES

€1.07B

€138M

154

21,389

8

incl.ITER

3%offiveactortotalprivate

7%offiveactortotal

14.1%offiveactortotal

mostdiversifiedbase

COMPETITIVENESSPROFILE

Normalised0–1·groupleader=1.00

Planned/underconstruction

MiRESSO

Fuelcycle/Be

FUSIONDEVELOPERS&DEVICESITES

IAEAFFDB·May2026

LINEAInnovations

FRC-mirror

Misawa

LHD(NIFS)

Stellarator

Naka

TsukubaTokyo

HelixHARUKA(HelicalFusion)

Stellarator—underconstruction

HelixKANATA(HelicalFusion)

Stellarator—planned

KyotoFusioneering

Tokamak

HeliotronJ(KyotoUniv.)

Stellarator

LFEX(OsakaUniv.)

Laser/inertial

GEKKOXII(OsakaUniv.)

Laser/inertial

EX-Fusion

Laser/inertial—planned

TokiKyoto

OsakaKasuga

Naka

TsukubaGAMMA10/PDX(Univ.Tsukuba)Mirror·Tsukuba

QUEST(KyushuUniv.)

Sphericaltokamak

PilotGAMMA(Univ.Tsukuba)

Mirror—underconstruction·Tsukuba

JT-60SA(QST)

Tokamak·Naka

Operating

MiRESSOisshownasenablinginfrastructureandisexcludedfromtheactive-devicecount.

12

01

STRATEGICPOSTURE

TherevisedFusionEnergyInnovationStrategy(June202517)explicitlytargetsdemonstrationoffusionelectricitygenerationinthe2030sandframesfusionasindustrialpolicy.ItmandatesaroadmapandisoperationalisedthroughaCabinetOfficeSocialImplementationTaskForce(September2025).QSTleadsITERparticipationandtokamakresearchatNaka;NIFSrunsthehelicalandstellaratorprogrammesatToki.

02FUNDING&PRIVATECAPITALRAISED→Ch.2

Totalidentifiedfundingover2022–2025isapproximately€1.21billion:€1.07billionpublic(€609milliondomesticplus€459millionQSTITERin-kind)and€138millionprivate.Newerinstruments—MoonshotGoal10andSBIRPhase3—seedcommercialactivity.J-Fusion(est.March2024)grewfrom21toover90membersbymid-202520;tradinghouses(Sumitomo,ITOCHU,Furukawa)extendreachglobally.

04INNOVATIONOUTPUT→Ch.4-5

154alivepatentfamilies(7%)ledbyToshiba(15),KyotoFusioneering(10),KyotoUniversity(7),withdistinctstrengthinopticalsystemsmirroringitslaser-fusionheritage.Publications~21,400(14.1%)with~260,000citations(9.2%).NIFS(2,349)andJAEA(1,273)sitinthefiveactortotaltop20.Japan’sshareoffive-actorpublicationsislowerinthe2006–2026windowthaninthefullhistoricalrecord.

03DEVICES&PERFORMANCE→Ch.3

Amatur