POWER POLITICS

摘要

Japan is on the verge of winning the world's largest scientific endeavour' from under the noses of its European competitors, thanks to indecision at the heart of the EU. The global competition to secure the contract to build and run the world's first prototype of a commercial fusion reactor will be decided in Vienna on 5 December. The chosen site will attract huge international investment in technology research and if successful become the birthplace of a new multibillion-pound industry. The candidate host nations have been narrowed down to Canada, Japan and a European site either in Spain or France. However, the failure of the Europeans to decide which of the two should take its bid forward is likely to persuade the project members to select Japan as winner.