UK-Japan cooperation on fusion energy: memorandum of cooperation
Published 19 June 2025
© Crown copyright 2025
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-japan-cooperation-on-fusion-energy-memorandum-of-cooperation/uk-japan-cooperation-on-fusion-energy-memorandum-of-cooperation
The United Kingdom and Japan have today (19 June 2025) confirmed a new partnership on fusion energy, signing a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
Fusion supports the government’s Plan for Change and its Missions to Kickstart Economic Growth, through reaping the economic benefits of innovation, highly skilled jobs, and tech transfer in the near term, and making Britain a Clean Energy Superpower by commercialising fusion energy and accelerating to net zero in the longer-term. Our international collaborations will help us commercialise fusion energy as quickly as possible.
The MoC, which was signed by Kerry McCarthy, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Climate) and Hiroshi Masuko, Senior Deputy Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology will further collaboration in key fusion areas including research and development, regulation and skills and workforce.
Fusion is the process that powers the Sun. When the nuclei of two light elements are ‘fused’, they form a heavier element and release excess energy. Scientists around the world are developing technology to use this process to generate energy here on Earth, and the UK is a leader in this global endeavour.
This new collaboration with a key international partner builds on the announcement of the UK-US Strategic Partnership on Fusion Energy in November 2023, the UK-Canada cooperation on fusion energy: memorandum of understanding in February 2024 and the UK-Germany fusion energy research agreement in December 2024 under the auspices of the UK-Germany Joint Declaration of Intent. It follows on from a government commitment for a record level of £410 million, announced in January 2025, for UK fusion research and collaboration with other countries to develop clean, unlimited power and drive economic growth.
DESNZ and UKAEA officials recently met with Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST) at the Culham Campus and enjoyed a productive discussion on future UK-Japan collaborations and welcome the strengthened partnership between UKAEA and QST following this agreement.
The MoC is already encouraging UK and Japanese counterparts to strengthen their partnerships. We welcome announcements of UK-Japan fusion sector cooperation, including a Memorandum of Understanding between the UK’s Fusion Cluster and the Japan Fusion Energy Council (J-Fusion) to foster industrial collaboration, knowledge exchange, and workforce development; a joint venture between Tokamak Energy and Furukawa to manufacture critical fusion energy power plant magnet technology; and the relocation of Kyoto Fusioneering’s UK Headquarters to the Culham Campus to join the vibrant Culham fusion ecosystem.