JR East to Participate in Social Collaboration Course on Fusion Energy with the University of Tokyo and 8 Private Companies

The East Japan Railway Company (JR East) will participate in the "Fusion System Design" social collaboration course established by the National University Corporation, the University of Tokyo, aiming for the early realization of fusion energy. JR East will join the course starting June 25, 2026.

The course was established on May 1, 2025, with 8 companies initially participating. JR East will be the ninth participating company. The collaboration is scheduled to continue until March 31, 2029.

Fusion energy is a technology capable of generating significant heat and electricity from substances like hydrogen, similar to how the sun produces energy. To achieve the Lifestyle Transformation (LX) outlined in our Group Management Vision "Yusho 2034," JR East will contribute to the realization of fusion energy with the objectives of solving global energy challenges, achieving Japan's energy independence and regional revitalization, and ensuring stable business continuity for the company.

1. Social Background and Challenges

In recent years, competition to achieve early realization of fusion energy has intensified worldwide, with a focus on power demonstration. Japan aims to achieve power demonstration in the 2030s, ahead of other nations, by accelerating initiatives based on the "Fusion Energy Innovation Strategy" by the Cabinet Office. In the private sector, projects such as the fusion energy power demonstration project "FAST"*2, promoted by companies like Starlight Engine Inc., have also been launched.

However, comprehensive plant design and design science are indispensable for power demonstration and the subsequent realization of fusion energy. The configuration of a fusion plant is heavily influenced by the confinement method, intended use (e.g., testing, commercial power generation, RI production, industrial heat source), and regulatory laws/standards. Currently, the academic and technical systems supporting these designs are still under development. Furthermore, strategically nurturing next-generation talent involved in fusion energy is an urgent issue to maintain and accelerate the pace of technological development.

2. About the "Fusion System Design" Social Collaboration Course

A social collaboration course is a system where universities and external organizations, such as private companies or research institutions, conduct joint research by leveraging their respective technologies and knowledge to address common issues of high public interest. In the "Fusion System Design" social collaboration course, Professor Akira Ejiri from the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences at the University of Tokyo, a leading figure in fusion research, will serve as the supervising professor. In collaboration with the Interdisciplinary Research Center for Fusion Energy, established on April 1, 2025, within the same graduate school, the course will lay the academic foundation for fusion plant design and pursue industry-academia collaboration on the following elements that constitute a fusion plant:

- Research on innovative technologies for advancing fusion systems. - Examination of diverse application possibilities for fusion energy. - Consideration of facility and equipment requirements and their establishment, taking into account the status of legal regulations and standards. - Other issues related to the practical application and social implementation of fusion energy.

3. Future Outlook

The University of Tokyo and nine private companies (including JR East) will pool their expertise in their respective specialized fields through this industry-academia collaborative social collaboration course. Concurrently, research on fusion system design will be promoted alongside students aspiring to work in the fusion field, advancing the development of the supporting academic and technical systems. Furthermore, we aim for the early realization of fusion energy and will contribute to the development of the industry through human resource development.

Comment from Akira Ejiri, Professor at the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, the University of Tokyo:

"I am very pleased that JR East will participate in this social collaboration course. To date, the course has primarily involved companies that form the fusion energy supply chain. However, JR East, as a major energy user, can also consider the application of various excellent technologies it has developed, and we expect this to further expand the activities of the course. Moving forward, through the collaboration between participating companies and our university, we will contribute to the early social implementation of fusion energy."

[Reference] Related Press Release

- University of Tokyo and 8 Private Companies Involved in Fusion Development (See press release below for participating companies) Establish Social Collaboration Course - Promoting the establishment of academic and technical systems and human resource development through industry-academia collaboration for the early realization of fusion energy -

[Announced April 25, 2025]

https://www.k.u-tokyo.ac.jp/information/category/press/11575.html

*1 Fusion Energy

Fusion energy refers to the "nuclear fusion energy" generated when light atomic nuclei, such as hydrogen, fuse under high temperature and pressure to form heavier atomic nuclei. It is a large-scale, centralized energy source expected to contribute to the realization of a decarbonized society and energy security because it is carbon-free and its fuel is not unevenly distributed. It is considered safe, with no risk of chain reactions or explosions, and no high-level radioactive waste.

Mechanism of Fusion Energy

*2 Fusion Energy Power Demonstration Project "FAST"

The FAST project (Fusion by Advanced Superconducting Tokamak) is a project that aims to extract fusion energy from burning plasma and to integrally demonstrate plasma sustainment and engineering challenges. It aims for an output of 50,000 to 100,000 kW and a discharge duration of 1000 seconds through the D-T nuclear fusion reaction (a reaction where deuterium (D) and tritium (T) nuclei fuse).

Fusion Energy Power Demonstration Project "FAST" (Image*) Power Reactor (Image*) (*Provided by Starlight Engine Inc.)