Kyoto Fusioneering Ltd. (President: Kiyoshi Seko; hereinafter “KF”) will establish the “KF Shiga Innovation Factory,” a new R&D hub for its gyrotron system, a key component of KF’s plasma heating technologies. The facility will be located within the Adogawa Plant of Nichicon Kusatsu Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Nichicon Corporation (Chairman: Ippei Takeda; hereinafter “Nichicon”). Preparations for the new center will begin on March 1, 2026, with operations scheduled to begin gradually from the fall of 2026.
1. Background and Purpose of Establishing the KF Shiga Innovation Factory
KF is advancing its gyrotron system business—one of its core operations—by combining system sales and implementation engineering with continuous technological development. KF‘s gyrotron systems are built on technologies developed over many years at national research institutions such as the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST), and through extensive collaboration with leading Japanese technology and manufacturing companies, including Canon Electron Tubes & Devices Co., Ltd. The systems have already been adopted by public-sector projects and private companies in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Czech Republic, where they have been recognized for their high performance and the flexibility enabled by a wide range of operating frequencies.
Amid the accelerated global push toward fusion energy development in recent years, opportunities to supply gyrotron systems continue to expand steadily. As a result, KF has entered a critical phase requiring enhancement of the equipment and organizational capabilities necessary for engineering and R&D. Moreover, because development activities have historically been spread across multiple locations—including domestic research institutions—there has been an urgent need to improve efficiency in terms of engineering collaboration, personnel allocation, and mobility. To address these challenges and further strengthen our development and supply capabilities, we have decided to consolidate our operations at a new, centralized location.
2. Significance of Establishing the New Facility Within Nichicon Kusatsu Co., Ltd.’s Adogawa Plant
For approximately 70 years, Nichicon has designed and produced accelerator power supplies, high-voltage power supplies, pulse power supplies, capacitor banks, and other systems used in academic research, medical fields, and various industrial applications—contributing significantly to technological advancement across sectors. Nichicon has also long been involved in Japan’s fusion energy development, having supplied power systems for projects such as the JT-60SA at the QST Naka Fusion Institute and the Large Helical Device (LHD) at the National Institute for Fusion Science. Reflecting its expectations for the potential of fusion energy, Nichicon is also an investor in Kyoto Fusioneering.*1
The new KF Shiga Innovation Factory will be established within the Adogawa Plant of Nichicon Kusatsu Co., Ltd., thanks to Nichicon’s strong cooperation. This collaboration will enable KF to install high‑voltage, large‑scale power equipment essential for gyrotron system development. As a result, KF will be able not only to accelerate product development for customers but also to drive R&D for even higher-performance gyrotron technologies. Furthermore, by constructing and operating fully integrated testing facilities for gyrotron systems from scratch, KF will deepen its expertise across the entire gyrotron ecosystem—including power supplies, cooling systems, and control systems.
Facility setup will begin sequentially on March 1, 2026, with operations scheduled to begin gradually from the fall of 2026. By combining office and R&D functions within the same site, the new center will enhance the efficiency and speed of both business operations and R&D activities. In addition, the establishment of this new domestic development hub will contribute to strengthening supply chains and supporting regional economic growth.
3. Overview of the New Research and Development Facility
Name: KF Shiga Innovation Factory
Location: 690-2 Miori, Adogawa-cho, Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture, Japan
Total Floor Area: 1,770 m²
Scheduled Start of Operations: Fall 2026
4. About Gyrotron Systems
In magnetic confinement fusion reactors, gyrotron systems serve as essential heating devices used to create the high-temperature plasma conditions required for fusion reactions. Gyrotrons have been studied and developed for many years by researchers at national and academic institutions, including the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST). In 2021, QST successfully completed all eight gyrotrons assigned to Japan for the international fusion research and development project ITER.
Building on these technologies, Kyoto Fusioneering collaborates with leading Japanese manufacturing companies, including Canon Electron Tubes & Devices Co., Ltd., to advance the development of high‑frequency gyrotron systems, extend pulse duration, and promote the use of gyrotrons originating from Japan in fusion programs worldwide. The Company is also pursuing efforts to enable industrial application of the technology, while implementing essential processes for product management and quality assurance from the perspective of a private-sector manufacturer.
For more information, please refer to our blog article explaining gyrotron systems:
THE FUSION ERA – Fusion 101 / Inside the Gyrotron System: How it Works
5. Overview of Nichicon Corporation
Head Office: Karasuma-Oike, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
Representative: Ippei Takeda, Chairman & Representative Director
Founded: August 1, 1950
Capital: 14,286 million yen (as of March 31, 2025)
Employees: 5,242 (consolidated, as of March 31, 2025)
Business Activities:
Manufacturing and sales of aluminum electrolytic capacitors, film capacitors, small lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, positive temperature coefficient (PTC) thermistors, residential energy storage systems, V2H systems, rapid chargers for EVs and PHEVs, public and industrial energy storage systems, switching power supplies, functional modules, power supplies for medical accelerators, power supplies for academic research accelerators, and voltage sag/blackout compensation systems.
Net Sales: 181,643 million yen (consolidated, fiscal year ended March 2025)
