Japan makes world-first fusion breakthrough that could change energy forever

New Delhi: Japan has taken a significant lead in the global race for clean, limitless energy after a homegrown startup announced a major breakthrough in nuclear fusion technology. Helical Fusion, a Japanese company specialising in fusion reactor development, confirmed it has successfully tested a high-temperature superconducting (HTS) coil — a critical component needed to generate and sustain fusion reactions. This is the first time in the world that such a test has achieved stable current flow under superconducting conditions while simulating the magnetic environment inside a real fusion reactor.

The announcement is being seen as a landmark step toward building a functioning commercial fusion power plant. For decades, nuclear fusion has been considered the "holy grail” of energy science because of its potential to generate massive power without carbon emissions or long-lived radioactive waste.

The HTS coil tested by Helical Fusion is designed to contain plasma at extremely high temperatures, similar to those found in the centre of the sun. Fusion occurs when atomic nuclei are forced together, releasing energy. The company said its coil achieved stable superconducting current at temperatures as low as -258°C and under high magnetic fields.

Helical Fusion CEO Takaya Taguchi called the test a world-first achievement, stating, "This means that the possibility of achieving fusion power generation ahead of the rest of the world has been demonstrated.”

Following the success of the coil test, the company will begin construction of Helix HARUKA, a demonstration device designed to prove that fusion reactions can be sustained safely and continuously. By the 2030s, it plans to build Helix KANATA, a pilot plant that will generate net positive electricity and run 24/7.

Unlike traditional fusion designs, Helical Fusion is developing a Helical Stellarator reactor, which can confine plasma continuously without additional current, reducing instability and improving operational safety.

While the United States and China have invested over 1 trillion yen (approximately ₹8.8 lakh crore), Japan’s spending is only around 100 billion yen (about ₹8800 crore). However, this breakthrough could position Japan as a surprise frontrunner. Other global players, including Commonwealth Fusion Systems in the U.S., are also racing to build the first grid-scale fusion plant by the early 2030s.

Analysts say the fusion market could become a multi-trillion-dollar energy industry by the 2040s, reshaping global geopolitics and energy independence.

If fusion becomes commercially viable, it could generate electricity from seawater without emitting greenhouse gases or creating nuclear waste like current reactors. This could help countries like India reduce energy imports and meet climate goals while powering rapid industrial growth.