UK-based First Light Fusion, founded in 2011 as a spin-out from the University of Oxford, hosted a delegation from the Japanese Government at its Oxford headquarters. The delegation was led by State Minister Soichiro Imaeda from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science & Technology (MEXT). The visit signalled the latest collaboration in a deepening partnership between the UK and Japan on the rapid progression of fusion commercialisation at both a private and public sector level.
First Light held a roundtable with the Japanese delegation, led by First Light’s Chief Financial Officer, David Bryon, and other senior board members. This was followed by a tour of First Light’s technological facilities, including its pulsed power facility, Machine 3, the largest such facility in Europe.
As part of First Light’s commercial fusion strategy, it will seek to leverage its unique amplifier technology by joining forces with other organisations with driver capabilities and nuclear engineering companies. This offers the fastest and simplest possible route to commercial fusion energy, and with unrivalled, world-renowned expertise in nuclear engineering, Japan is positioned to be a key collaborator in that.
In April 2023, the Japanese Government launched its ‘Fusion Energy Innovation Strategy’ – a comprehensive strategy aimed at supporting the ‘realisation of fusion energy as the world’s next-generation energy source’. Following recent technological breakthroughs, including in Inertial Fusion Energy with the demonstration of ‘Ignition’ by the National Ignition Facility in December 2022, the Japanese Government has made fusion research a key pillar in its future energy strategy. Japan’s technological advances in cutting-edge research and manufacturing is already world-renowned.
Part of the Japanese strategy involves greater cooperation with the UK as a leading global fusion player. In May this year, First Light attended an event in Tokyo hosted by the British Embassy which brought together the British and Japanese fusion industries and representatives from both Governments.
State Minister Soichiro Imaeda, Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology thanked First Light for the invitation. “I have heard that First Light Fusion is taking a unique approach, and I am looking forward to hearing new stories. I am happy to exchange information with you on the status of start-ups in the fusion energy sector.”
David Bryon, Chief Financial Officer of First Light Fusion, said: “In the global fusion race, Japan is showing real leadership by delivering a Government-led national fusion strategy to unlock private funding, backing inertial fusion energy as the leading viable approach to commercial fusion, and driving vital global cooperation.”
He added: “It was a pleasure to demonstrate our technological capabilities and recent advancements in our unique amplifier technology. Our amplifier technology will be key in unlocking commercially viable and affordable fusion energy at scale as part of a global clean energy mix which will help deliver on our shared 2050 net zero target. “The fact that Japan has launched its own national fusion strategy in the last 18 months is significant. Japan is globally renowned for its technological and manufacturing excellence – two things that are integral in the race to achieve decarbonisation by 2050.”
