Japan and the United States join forces to face China in rare earth element mining

Japan and the United States announced a joint initiative to study the development of rare earth mining in the waters surrounding Minamitori Island, located in the Pacific Ocean, about 1,900 kilometers (1,180 miles) southeast of Tokyo.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced the agreement on Thursday during a parliamentary session, emphasizing that the project is part of a strategic effort to secure the supply of critical minerals and reduce dependence on China, a country that currently dominates global production of these materials essential for the technology and defense industries.

Takaichi explained that the issue was one of the main topics of her recent meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Tokyo, where both nations signed a cooperation framework focused on ensuring stable access to rare earths.

These elements are indispensable for the manufacture of electric vehicles, wind turbines, missiles, fighter jets, and advanced electronic devices, which makes their supply a matter of economic and strategic security for both Japan and the United States.

The prime minister indicated that in the seabed near Minamitori a large amount of mud with a high rare earth content has been identified, and that her government plans to begin a technical trial next January to assess the feasibility of extracting this material from a depth of 6,000 meters (19,685 feet).

This trial will be a key step within a broader national project aimed at strengthening the country's mining and maritime autonomy. "We will consider specific ways to promote cooperation between Japan and the United States in the development of rare earths around Minamitori," Takaichi stated before Parliament.

The project has the support of public agencies and private companies, under the direction of a state initiative to boost domestic production of strategic minerals.

According to a representative of the government consortium, studies conducted have confirmed the presence of exceptionally rich deposits of rare earth mud at depths ranging between 5,000 meters (16,404 feet) and 6,000 meters (19,685 feet), within Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

These resources could guarantee Japan long-term independence from the Chinese market, which has historically used its dominance in this sector as a tool of geopolitical influence.

If the initial tests prove successful, the project's goal is to begin large-scale trial operations in January 2027, with a system capable of extracting approximately 350 metric tons of mud per day.

This process will require advanced technologies to operate under extreme pressure and temperature conditions in the ocean depths, in addition to ensuring that exploitation is carried out with minimal environmental impact, an aspect that Japan has emphasized as a priority.

Currently, China controls the majority of global rare earth extraction, while the United States and Myanmar hold approximately 12% and 8%, respectively, according to data from the Eurasia Group.

This concentration has raised concerns among the world's major economies, which seek to diversify their supply sources in the face of growing demand driven by the energy transition and technological expansion.

Cooperation between Tokyo and Washington regarding Minamitori thus symbolizes a new stage in the strategic alliance between both countries, extending their collaboration beyond the military sphere into the economic and scientific fields.

For Japan, it represents a historic opportunity to become a key player in the global supply of critical minerals, while for the United States it reinforces its strategy for securing essential materials in the face of Beijing's influence.