In the history of fusion research in Japan, the Assembly for Nuclear Fusion Reactions (ANFR) [Kakuyugo-Hannou Kondankai] is typically considered to be the first advisory group for the research program under the auspice of the Japan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) and the Atomic Energy Bureau (AEB) of the Science and Technology Agency. The Nuclear Fusion Research Group (NFRG) [Kakuyugo-Kondankai], on the other hand, is often called the first national society of fusion scientists. Furthermore, the NFRG, established by in February 1958, is widely believed to have been independent of the ANFR.

This essay demonstrates that the establishment of the NFRG was actually connected to the discussion under the ANFR. During the second ANFR meeting held in October 1957, the AEB proposed that the ANFR be reorganized into a Special Panel of the JAEC, but the scientific members of the group opposed this plan and demanded that the group remain informal. Additionally, they proposed the establishment of an organization to discuss uses of the funds provided by the AEB. For this purpose, in the autumn of 1957, the NFRG was founded by those who were interested in fusion research. However, the AEB refused to allow researchers to spend their funds freely. Consequently, fusion scientists applied to the Grant-in-Aid of Ministry of Education, Science and Culture. After the NFRG became independent from the AEB in February 1958, it was reorganized as a national scientific society.