The Science Council of Japan has set up a committee to evaluate the revised ILC plan, and within is a working group for verifying the technology involved (Chief: Masako Yoneda, specially appointed professor at Keio University’s Advanced Research Center). They met on August 23rd in Tokyo for their third meeting, where they evaluated the technological issues with the ILC project, and what economic benefits it would bring.

Aside from the five working group members, Daisuke Yajima, a senior consultant from Nomura Research Institute’s Social Systems Consulting Department, and Shinichiro Michizono, a director at the KEK physics laboratory, attended as experts who could give reference information.

Mr. Yajima talked about the superconducting accelerator cavities that would accelerate beams of electrons and positrons to close the speed of light: “The technology has just about reached the standards needed for the ILC’s efficiency. The issue is reducing the costs involved in making them.”

Some comments from members regarding the beam dump that would absorb the beams’ energy: “It is not safe enough and there needs to be more countermeasures against accidents.” “Some of the technology involved hasn’t been established yet, and if it’s not developed within the 4-year preparation period, you can’t build the ILC.” The Nomura Research Institute has estimated the economic benefits of the ILC to be somewhere around 2.3776 trillion – 2.6109 trillion yen, but one member commented, “National finances are tight, and there needs to be more consideration on how the ILC might cause cuts in investment to other fields.”

Their next meeting will be on September 13th.