After OP1 in 2023, JT-60SA entered in the Maintenance and Enhancemed (ME1) phase 1, which is currently ongoing. In ME1, JT-60SA is being upgraded with new ports to allow high auxiliary heating power operation, inertially cooled carbon divertor with divertor cryopump is also installed. The Stabilizing Plates with full carbon armours are being set up in the toroidal direction. In-vessel coils such as Fast Plasma Position Control Coils (FPPCCs) and Error Field Correction Coils (EFCCs) were installed and followed by Resistive Wall Mode Control Coils (RWMCCs). The massive gas injection (MGI) system is also to be installed soon, which will be essential for disruption studies.

In parallel to ME1, commissioning of installed components has already started. Specifically, OP2 officially started in 2026 with the commissioning of the FPPCC power supply, designed to manage plasma position at high speeds and of several EFCCs with their power supply, designed to avoid destabilization of n=1 MHD mode. Other systems capable of operating at room temperature and non-vacuum conditions will also be commissioned. The process will progress to high-vacuum conditions and finally to cooling and energizing the large superconducting magnets.

With this commissioning, the final preparations for a new experimental campaign during OP2 is starting, with the goal of developing plasma operations by the end of 2026 including the injection of ECRH and NBI power.

For more information

https://fusionforenergy.europa.eu/news/europe-and-japan-restart-jt-60sa

https://www.qst.go.jp/site/news/20260313.html

The scientific exploitation of JT-60SA is ensured by the Experiment Team, https://www.jt60sa.org/wp/experiment-team/ ,formed by three experiment leaders, which will coordinate the experimental programme, and six Topical Groups that are responsible to coordinate different scientific topics. Recently, the Experiment Team Leaders and Topical Group Leaders have coordinated an effort to identify the main scientific topics to be developed in the initial experimental campaigns of JT-60SA, Operation-2 (OP2) and Operation-3 (OP3) with carbon PFC.

The JT-60SA Experiment Leaders,  are inviting for the participation in the experiment team. This call is addressed to master students, Ph.D. students and researchers belonging to European and Japanese scientific institutions involved in EURATOM or the Japanese fusion research programme and agreed collaborators. Master students and Ph.D. students are considered for the participation in the experiment team in the same terms than researchers as long as they participate together with their supervisors. The researchers in Japanese scientific institutions who collaborate in a framework with QST, e.g. “Tokamak Reactor Plasma Collaborative Research Programme” or Onsite laboratory of university can join. The researchers in European scientific institutions with a collaborative framework with EURATOM or with any other institution collaborating with EURATOM- such as EUROFusion- can apply.

See the full details in the call attached.

The deadline of this call is 30th January 2026.

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