The 3rd JT-60SA International Fusion School (JIFS) opened on 1st September 2025, at the QST Naka Fusion Institute in Japan, bringing together 20 students and young researchers from Europe and Japan. Over the two weeks of the school, participants engaged in lectures, hands-on sessions, and cultural exchanges, all centered on advancing the science and technology of fusion.
Organised jointly by QST and EUROfusion, the school leverages the unique capabilities of the JT-60SA tokamak—the world’s largest superconducting device and the flagship of Europe–Japan collaboration under the Broader Approach. The 2025 edition highlighted innovation in fusion, with sessions on AI-driven plasma control, advanced superconducting magnets, and diagnostic technologies.
In their opening remarks, leaders from both Europe and Japan emphasised the importance of training the next generation.
EUROfusion Programme Manager Gianfranco Federici stressed that “education and training are one of EUROfusion’s most important missions. With the closure of JET, our attention turns to JT-60SA, and to preparing young scientists for its exploitation.”
EUROfusion’s former Programme Manager and current EPFL Provost Ambrogio Fasoli underlined the value of integration—“of physics and engineering, but also of people and cultures”—
while
QST’s Hisayoshi Itoh highlighted that fusion’s success requires “broad and comprehensive knowledge” alongside international collaboration.
Students themselves took the stage:
Vasiliki Anagnostopoulou (ENEA) spoke for the European cohort, stressing the “synergy across disciplines, across borders, and across generations” that makes fusion unique.
Representatives of the European Commission and MEXT also delivered messages of support.
Joanna Drake (European Commission, DG RTD) praised JIFS in her video message, while Japanese officials reaffirmed their dedication to fostering global talent.
Beyond technical training, the programme included site visits, practical exercises, and cultural exchange activities, reinforcing the spirit of cooperation between Europe and Japan. As JT-60SA prepares for full exploitation, JIFS 2025 ensured that its future will be in capable hands.
