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EconomicJapan·Unpinned25 Aug 2026 · 1d ago

Japan plans to fund rare-earth mining in exchange for technical support

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Japan announced a plan to revamp a program providing hundreds of billions of yen to fund the development of technology tied to economic security. The initiative aimed to support long-term efforts toward seafloor rare-earth mining, including projects near Minamitorishima utilizing the deep-sea drilling vessel Chikyu. This move was intended to reduce Japan's reliance on China for rare-earth resources.

Consequences

The program will facilitate the development of technical support for deep-sea extraction efforts. This investment represents a strategic shift toward establishing domestic rare-earth supply chains.

Sources

Nikkei Asia
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