EU and Japan spar for ITER

The battle between Japan and Europe over hosting the international nuclear fusion reactor  is set to rage on in Vienna as officals from the six participating parties gather for a meeting on Friday.

Japan is reported be planning to stump up an extra €750 billion for the world's first thermonuclear reactor - if it means it can host the project known as ITER.

Brussels wants the billion dollar project sited within the EU in the southern French town of Cadarache, and has reportedly won support from China and Russia.

But the Japanese site, in the northern village of Rokkasho-mura has won support from South Korea and the US.

Japan and the EU are the only two competing to host ITER. Spain threw in the towel to provide the European site last November.

On Wednesday, EU research commissioner Philippe Busquin told journalists to "spread the word. The European plant is best".

There are nine factors used to assess the two proposed sites, and Busquin said the French site met eight out of the nine criteria.

Cadarache only fell short on transport facilities, the nineth criteria.

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