Present Status and Future of Thermonuclear Fusion Research and Development in Europe and U.S.A.

A review is presented on the present status and future programs of the thermonuclear fusion research and development in U.S.A. and Europe. The development stages are discussed which are necessary for the realization of the practical fusion reactors, being expected to occur at the end of this century or at the beginning of the next century. As the first step toward this goal, the achievement of what is called "zero-power fusion reactor" is now under planning, aiming primarily at the development of the large-scale core plasmas for the experimental fusion reactors. In addition, the preliminary studies on the fusion reactor technology, including the blanket design for heat-removal and tritium breeding, the large-scale superconducting magnets, the 14 MeV neutronics and materials and so on, are being initiated.