Starlight Engine Ltd. Established to Deliver the FAST Project and Achieve Fusion Power Production in the 2030s

Tokyo, Japan – Starlight Engine Ltd., a new entity established to drive forward the FAST (Fusion by Advanced Superconducting Tokamak) Project, today announced its official launch. Building on FAST's pioneering start last November, Starlight Engine will serve as the operational and strategic engine propelling Japan's mission to demonstrate fusion energy power generation in the 2030s.

Accelerating the FAST Project

FAST was initiated in November 2024 as a bold, privately led industry–academia initiative, set in motion as a direct response to the Japanese government's ambitious aim to demonstrate fusion power generation in the 2030s. With a clear mandate to address technical challenges and shorten the path to fusion commercialization, the project brings together top fusion researchers, industrial players, and international collaborators.

Now, with Starlight Engine's formation, responsibility for coordinating technology development, business strategy, financial planning, supply chain management, and site selection for FAST has been centralized under one roof. Reflecting its namesake, Starlight Engine symbolizes the catalyst behind the power of the sun and stars—aiming to replicate that process on Earth.

Kiyoshi Seko, COO of Kyoto Fusioneering Ltd. and newly appointed CEO of Starlight Engine, stated:

“Our goal is to provide the integrated leadership required to push FAST towards a fully functional demonstration of fusion power generation in the 2030s and to deploy commercial fusion globally thereafter.

Achieving the fastest path to commercial fusion requires a deeply integrated approach not only along technical lines, but also along economic ones. Through Starlight Engine, a commercial entity with deep ties to the academic community, we are bringing together the necessary technical and non-technical expertise, resources, and incentives to power the world with fusion energy on a bold, yet feasible timeline.”

The FAST Project: Achieving Fusion Power Generation

The FAST (Fusion by Advanced Superconducting Tokamak) Project will demonstrate full plant integration and fusion-based power production. Key objectives include:

Sustained D-T Plasma Burn: Generating, maintaining, and controlling deuterium-tritium plasmas—the fundamental step toward harnessing fusion reactions.
Energy Extraction and Conversion: Demonstrating methods for converting fusion heat into electricity and hydrogen production, bridging the gap between experimental reactors and commercial fusion power plants.
Tritium Fuel Cycle Development: Integrating technologies for breeding and recycling tritium, enabling a closed fusion fuel cycle.
Full System Integration: Developing and integrating all functional fusion power plant systems, demonstrating safe and sustainable operations, and providing a basis for commercial fusion power plants.

FAST adopts a tokamak configuration because it benefits from extensive research, established experimental data, and a relatively mature workforce and supply chain. This approach provides the fastest and lowest-risk route—both technically and financially—toward achieving the project's ambitious objectives.

While FAST targets the demonstration of fusion energy utilization, it is important to note that the term “power generation” here refers specifically to utilizing energy produced from fusion reactions rather than achieving net-positive electricity output.

Industry-Academia Collaboration through the FAST Project

The challenge of fusion energy development necessitates broad and deep collaboration between the private and public sectors. The FAST Project brings together fusion leaders from academic institutions, research organizations, and industrial partners of diverse experience and expertise from both Japan and abroad.

Joint research agreements are being established with major Japanese universities to drive a comprehensive range of R&D and technological development—from plasma confinement design to plant technology development.

Furthermore, collaborations with industrial partners are being formalized, including with members of the Japanese Fusion Energy Council (J-Fusion), such as MITSUI & CO., LTD., Mitsubishi Corporation, Marubeni Corporation, Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd., Fujikura Ltd, Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd., KAJIMA CORPORATION, and Kyoto Fusioneering Ltd. The participation of such a diverse set of partners—includes trading houses, real estate firms, manufacturers, and general contractors—will greatly accelerate progress, enabling fusion energy power generation in the 2030s and paving the way for global commercial deployment thereafter.

FAST will also heavily leverage international collaborations, drawing on expertise from world-leading fusion research centers and industry pioneers. Together, these partnerships will expedite the development of cutting-edge solutions necessary to overcome current fusion challenges and accelerate the move toward a future of sustainable abundance.

Moving Forward

With Starlight Engine now at the helm, the FAST Project enters a new phase of coordinated execution. Over the next few years, the newly established entity will:

Finalize the integrated design of the FAST fusion energy system.
Secure key financing and expand strategic partnerships.
Manage the logistics of site selection and licensing.
Serve as the central communication hub between all project stakeholders, including policy-makers, public and private sector partners, and international collaborators.

Through these concerted efforts, FAST is poised to not only serve as a demonstration of fusion energy's potential but also to lay the groundwork for subsequent commercial fusion power plants anticipated in the 2040s.

About Starlight Engine Ltd.

Established in April 2025, Starlight Engine Ltd provides centralized leadership for the FAST Project. With a mission to transform the fusion energy landscape, Starlight Engine unites expertise from industry, academia, and government agencies to guide FAST through its next critical milestones. Headquartered in Tokyo, the company is committed to ensuring the fast-tracked, coordinated advancement of the technologies essential for a fusion-powered future.

About the FAST Project

Launched in November 2024, the FAST (Fusion by Advanced Superconducting Tokamak) Project is a privately led industry–academia collaboration aimed at demonstrating fusion energy power generation in the 2030s. By integrating cutting-edge plasma physics, advanced tokamak design, and comprehensive fuel cycle technology, FAST seeks to validate a complete fusion energy system as a critical stepping-stone toward commercial fusion power.

For Media Inquiries:

Starlight Engine Ltd. Headquarters:Distribution A Building, AW1-S, Tokyo Ryutsu Center

6-1-1 Heiwajima, Ota-ku, Tokyo 143-0006, JapanEmail: company@sle.energy

Website: https://sle.energy/