International cooperation on fusion research

For more than a decade, physics study as fundamental research in fusion nuclear has progressed with great strides and the fruit therefrom has been rather worldwidely exchanged among the concerned scientists of each fusion developing powers. In recent years, fusion research and development is entering into the stage of engineering feasibility study, and the four great powers in fusion, USA, USSR, Euratom and Japan, are now independently manufacturing large fusion experimenting devices. On the other hand, international cooperation having some institutional structure has become considered meritful and necessary from the viewpoints of cost and efficiency of research and development. International Energy Agency (IEA) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are managing various kinds of conference and projects in order to generate cooperation in this field. Fusion Power Coordinating Committee (FPCC), under IEA, hosts LCT project and TEXTOR project. IAEA is promoting INTOR project. There are also many kinds of bilateral cooperation under practice, such as Japan-US, Japan-USSR etc. As the research and development on fusion progresses further and further, the more activated and accelerated the international cooperation in this field will become. (author)