DONES, the largest European initiative in fusion energy, is being built in Spain, but Croatia holds a central role in its development. As one of the two leading countries on the project, Croatia was among the first to recognize its strategic value and has been actively involved in shaping and implementing it scientifically. Croatian researchers and institutions, united under the DONES.HR platform, have been working for years on technologies related to DONES, including advanced materials, detectors, and remote handling systems.

Croatia and Spain are now joined by Japan as a strategic partner in this major international effort. This was confirmed at yesterday’s DONES Governing Board meeting in Granada.

Dr. Tonči Tadić, Head of Croatian Fusion Activities and coordinator of the DONES.HR project team from the Ruđer Bošković Institute (IRB), explains:

“In addition to irradiating fusion materials, DONES will serve as a multidisciplinary base for neutron research in areas such as non-fusion nuclear physics, medical physics, solid-state physics, medicine, biology, and engineering. Any interested organization or research team can propose accompanying experiments. Moreover, the project includes the development of a large amount of specialized—and often entirely new—equipment, from detectors to remote-controlled cranes.”

DONES is essential not only for testing and developing advanced materials needed for fusion power plants, but also for a wide range of other technologies—such as radiation-hardened sensors and electronics, tritium production systems, liquid metal heat transfer, and handling technologies. This makes DONES a multidisciplinary research hub with immense scientific and industrial potential.

During the project's presentation at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan officially became a project partner. A Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and Spain’s Ministry of Science, making Japan the third strategic partner, alongside Croatia and Spain.

Croatian Minister of Science, Education and Youth, Radovan Fuchs, stated:

“Croatia is proud to be part of this great European and global effort to create a sustainable, safe, and clean energy source for the future. DONES is not just a scientific project but a geostrategic one, bringing together countries, scientific institutions, and industry around a common goal. The collaboration with Japan is extremely valuable and opens new doors for scientific and industrial exchange.”

The scale of investment reflects the project’s importance: the Spanish government will invest €210 million, matched by the Government of Andalusia. An additional €202 million is expected from the European Commission. Japan has committed to financing 5% of the construction and 8% of the operational phase costs. Italy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding and is in the final stages of defining its contribution. The total project value will exceed €700 million, involving more than 17 countries.

Fusion energy—mimicking the processes that power the Sun—is seen as one of the most promising solutions to climate change and energy security, and IFMIF-DONES is a critical step toward realizing it.

The DONES Day in Osaka and the Governing Board meeting in Granada marked a pivotal moment in the project’s international development and the strengthening of cooperation with one of the world’s leading technological powers—Japan.

With Japan joining as a partner, and Croatia as a strategic initiator alongside Spain, DONES is becoming a global platform for developing fusion technologies that will shape the energy future of the world.