Cryomodule production for the European XFEL in CEA Saclay, France. Image: DESY
Since 2014, the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has been conducting studies to gather information to decide whether Japan is interested in hosting the ILC. The summary report of the ILC Advisory Panel set up by MEXT for this purpose was outlined in the last edition of Newsline.
In addition to the internal MEXT committees they have also commissioned an additional study by one of Japan’s leading consultancy firms, Nomura Research Institute (NRI), to study the technical and economic impact of the ILC, as a first-stage commissioned survey. Their report is now available, currently only in Japanese, but we are told that the English translation is in progress.
Very recently, MEXT has launched two new initiatives. The first is to form another internal committee to study human resource requirements for ILC construction and operation. We are providing them with all the information they request on this subject.
The second new initiative is to commission a further study by NRI to survey and analyse the technical feasibility of the project and the technical challenges posed by the construction of the ILC accelerator. The study consists of the following main elements:
- Survey of the technical feasibility of the ILC accelerator
- Survey of the technical issues that will need to be surmounted to manage mass production of the components required by the ILC accelerator
- Survey of ways to reduce the cost.
As part of this study NRI plans to visit leading institutes for accelerator science and companies manufacturing accelerator components or related products in Europe and the USA this autumn.
This is a very tight schedule and we are looking for the cooperation of all institutes and companies to present our work in the best possible way. It is particularly important to show that we can handle big projects in collaboration with industry. The LHC and the on-going construction of the European XFEL hosted at DESY and LCLS-II hosted at SLAC should provide ample evidence of this.
The final report of this commissioned survey and analysis should be available by February 2016. Hopefully this will complete the information that MEXT needs in order to decide whether the Japanese government wants to proceed to the next step, opening international negotiations with potential partners.
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