Japan bows out of ITER contention

Asahi Shimbun ^ | May 7, 2005

[snowsislander]

Japan has scrapped its bid to host the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) in exchange for construction and staffing perks, sources and the French government said Thursday.

The decision brings to an end a drawn-out dispute between two camps in the six-nation ITER project over where to build the reactor. The United States and South Korea backed Japan's bid to have the reactor built in Rokkasho, Aomori Prefecture, while China, Russia and the EU wanted the site to be located in Cadarache, southern France.

Francois d'Aubert, France's deputy research minister, released a statement Thursday saying an agreement had been reached between Japan and the EU on the division of costs, the awarding of contracts and the staffing of the ITER project.

In Geneva on Thursday, Tetsuhisa Shirakawa, the deputy science minister, held talks with Achilleas Mitsos, head of the Directorate-General for Research at the European Commission.

They agreed that the host nation would cover half of the estimated 570 billion yen in costs to construct the experimental reactor, sources said. Japanese concerns would be awarded 10 percent of the construction contract.

The individual to head the ITER facility will come from Japan, as will some researchers.(IHT/Asahi: May 7,2005)

[snowsislander]

ping

[NewHampshireDuo]

Guess it will be the "Cheese ITER."

[snowsislander]

Another article, published today, on the same subject, but with a different take on it.

[snowsislander]

Here's the Yomiuri version:

Japan, EU reach basic agreement over ITER

The Yomiuri Shimbun

The government and the European Union on Thursday reached a basic agreement over the role of host and non-hosting countries in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor project during talks in Geneva, a government official said.

According to the official, the content of the deal, which has not been released, includes a condition that the facility's host country will submit an order of about 57 billion yen in construction work for the main reactor to the unsuccessful candidate country. Japan and France, the EU's candidate, have been bidding to host the facility.

It also stipulates that:

-- The losing candidate will supply 20 percent of workers to the facility.

-- Reactor-related facilities, such as a material research laboratory, will be built in the unsuccessful bidder's country.

The ITER project participants--Japan, China, the EU, Russia, South Korea and the United States--have been divided over where to locate the facility.

The government is preparing to enter final talks with the respective parties with a view to give up its bid to build the plant in Rokkashomura, Aomori Prefecture. As a result, it is highly likely that the facility will now be built in Cadarache, southern France.

The facility's final location will be officially decided at a ministerial meeting of the six parties in June.

Thursday's agreement over the roles of the host and non-hosting countries between Japan and the EU likely will lead the government to build reactor-related facilities in Japan. The talks in Geneva were held between Tetsuhisa Shirakawa, the Education, Science and Technology Ministry's deputy minister, and European Commission Research Director General Achilleas Mitsos.

According to the government official, the host country will bear 50 percent of the 570 billion yen construction cost, while the unsuccessful bidder will finance 10 percent of the cost. China, Russia, South Korea and the United States will bear the remainder.

The European Commission will release the content of the agreement Friday.

After the vice-ministerial meeting, Francois D'Aubert, French deputy minister of research, said in a statement that a "technical agreement" had been reached at the Geneva meeting.

D'Aubert said: "This balanced agreement could lead Japan to decide not to be the host country for the reactor. If that's the case, France would welcome the ITER reactor in Cadarache. The end is in sight."