Technology

Aomori Prefecture Joins Race to Host Prototype Nuclear Fusion Reactor, Second Prefecture to Bid after Ibaraki

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:40 JST, December 9, 2025

Aomori Prefecture plans to work toward hosting a prototype reactor to demonstrate power generation using nuclear fusion.

Aomori Gov. Soichiro Miyashita revealed the move on Monday during a press conference at the Aomori prefectural government building. The bid is a response to the central government’s national strategy to realize the world’s first demonstration of the technology as a next-generation energy source.

The prefecture is considering construction of the reactor in the village of Rokkasho.

According to the Cabinet Office, this is the second prefecture to bid for the setup of a prototype reactor, following Ibaraki Prefecture.

Rokkasho is already home to an institute affiliated with the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, which is responsible for the development of nuclear fusion power generation. Therefore, according to Miyashita, building the reactor nearby could have a positive effect on the local economy by attracting relevant industries.

“It will be a strategy for opening the future of the prefecture,” said Miyashita, adding that the plan had a boost from the fact that an early realization of fusion power generation was included in the central government’s general economic measures adopted at a Cabinet meeting on Nov. 21.

The government aims to demonstrate the power generation in the 2030s, and is planning to draw up a roadmap before the end of this fiscal year.