Japan and US to Discuss about Joint Rare Earths Development
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi mentioned that she plans to talk about collaborative development with the United States regarding deep-sea rare earths near a distant Pacific island during her meeting with President Donald Trump this week.
Last month, Tokyo successfully extracted sediment rich in rare earth elements—17 metals utilized in products ranging from electric vehicles to hard drives and missiles—from ocean depths of 6,000 meters (approximately 20,000 feet) during a test mission near Minamitorishima island.
Japan, the United States, and several other nations are aiming to reduce reliance on China for crucial minerals.
"We talked about resource development during President Trump's visit to Japan in October of last year, and starting in February, Japan and the United States have initiated specific discussions about collaborating on the development of marine mineral resources," Takaichi states.
"The rare earth elements found in the waters surrounding Minamitorishima are among the objectives of this initiative..." She added that she anticipates it will also be discussed in the forthcoming Japan-US summit meeting set for Thursday.
The sediment rich in rare earths was gathered by a deep-sea research drilling vessel named the Chikyu, which departed in January for Minamitorishima, where the adjacent waters are thought to hold a wealth of precious minerals.
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The mission emerged as Beijing intensified its pressure on Japan following Takaichi's November remark that Tokyo might respond militarily to an assault on Taiwan, which China has asserted it will take by force if required.
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It restricted exports to Japan of "dual-use" goods that might have military applications, heightening concerns in Japan that Beijing could restrict rare earth supplies.
China has utilized its supremacy in rare earths for geopolitical advantage, particularly during its trade conflict with Trump.
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Last month, the United States announced a vital partnership for critical minerals with the European Union and Japan following a meeting in Washington, driven by rising worries regarding China's dominant position in the industry.