694 



collaboration on TFCX could well convert it to a more ambitious (and 

 more expensive) project. 



The idea put forth by the Japanese that their cooperation might 

 take the form of delivering components for the next big U.S. fusion 

 machine, provided that the experience gained would enhance their 

 ability to manufacture components for their next big machine, is a 

 clear advantage for them (and a potential disadvantage for the United 

 States in the long run). This arrangement would allow the Japanese to 

 develop the manufacturing capability that assures that they alone 

 would posess the ability to advance the next generation of machines. 

 In exchange, they would expect to receive the tritium-handling and 

 other technology we have developed. Given the poor U.S. performance 

 on the Large Coil Test Facility (LCTF) , this proposal may be the best 

 we can hope for in cooperative efforts. 



Officials at MITI noted that collaboration can occur on smaller 

 projects as well. Small-scale collaboration can be a precursor to 

 large-scale. 



COOPERATION ON BASIC RESEAPCH , TECHNOLOGY, 

 AND ALTERNATIVE CONFINEMENT CONCEPTS 



The U.S. -Japan joint agreement for cooperation in fusion appears to be 

 an adequate mechanism for establishing further cooperative activities 

 in basic science and technology and in research on alternative 

 confinement concepts. 



One university group would appreciate a recommendation from the 

 committee to increase collaboration at the university level. 

 Cooperation under the joint agreement over the past few years appears, 

 on the whole, to be viewed by the Japanese as successful. However, 

 several complaints arose in the discussions: 



o The U.S. centers for some of the activities are located in 

 areas that are. difficult to reach and difficult of access 

 because of security requirements (for example, Sandia National 

 Laboratory at Albuquerque and Oak Ridge National Laboratory) . 



o The United States did not make use of the Japanese bumpy-torus 

 results in its evaulation of the concept. 



Japan is engaged in research on a wide range of alternative 

 confinement concepts (tandem mirror, heliotron-stellarator , 

 reversed-f ield pinch, compact toroid, bumpy torus, and so forth). 

 Cooperative planning of research and evaluation of results seems 

 appropriate. 



The Japanese scientists appear to have achieved a significant 

 advance in superconducting magnets. Their progress in the LCTF 

 program, sponsored by the International Energy Agency and administered 

 by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, is impressive. Of the six 

 participants, only the Japanese delivered their superconducting 



