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Parliamentary League for the Promotion of Fusion Energy of the Liberal Democratic Party visits the Institute of Laser Engineering
On September 9, 2026, 12 members of the National Diet from the Parliamentary League for the Promotion of Fusion Energy of the Liberal Democratic Party, including Chair KAMIKAWA Yoko and former Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio, who serves as an advisor to the parliamentary league, visited the Institute of Laser Engineering.
From front left: KODAMA Ryosuke, Director of the Institute of Laser Engineering; President KUMANOGOH Atsushi; Diet members SAKAMOTO Tetsushi, KISHIDA Fumio, KAMIKAWA Yoko, SHIMOMURA Hakubun, OTSUKA Taku; Executive Vice President TAKADA Yukinori/From back left: Diet members SONOSAKI Hiromichi, ISHII Taku, MIHARA Asato, IHARA Yutaka, AKAMATSU Ken, KANAZAWA Yui, MORIHARA Kiyoko
The program began with an address by KODAMA Ryosuke, Director of the Institute of Laser Engineering, who presented an overview of the institute and its current activities, including research and education utilizing large-scale high-power laser facilities, joint-use and collaborative research projects, industry-academia collaboration, and international cooperation.
He then presented the institute’s efforts toward the realization of GEKKO-RE, the world’s first large-scale repetitive high-power laser system, building on Japan’s technological strengths. He explained how this technology could be applied to diverse fields such as space exploration, energy, and advanced manufacturing. In addition, he introduced future R&D strategies geared toward practical application and social implementation, including proof-of-concept studies for laser fusion energy and the HYPERION Project.
The visitors then toured the exhibition room, the large-scale laser systems GEKKO XII and LFEX, the assembly and cleaning room, and the target chamber. During the tour, SHIGEMORI Keisuke, Vice Director of the Institute of Laser Engineering, provided an overview of the design and mechanisms of these facilities and introduced the research activities carried out with them.
The visit was marked by active and engaging discussions, with the Diet members asking a wide range of questions until the very end of the scheduled time. Topics discussed included the mechanisms of the large-scale laser systems and the research activities, as well as the industrial applications of high-power laser technologies and ongoing efforts and challenges toward the practical application and social implementation of laser fusion energy.
The visit served as a valuable opportunity for the Diet members to gain deeper insight into the latest developments in large-scale high-power laser research and the future outlook for laser fusion energy.
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Institute of Laser Engineering