Japan and the US are set to jointly explore rare earth mining near Minamitori Island in the Pacific, as announced by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
The potential co-development of these rare earth minerals was a key subject during Takaichi’s recent meeting with US President Donald Trump, reported Reuters.
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During a parliamentary session, the news agency cited Takaichi as saying: “We will consider specific ways to promote cooperation between Japan and the United States on rare earth development… around Minamitori Island.”
During President Trump’s visit to Tokyo, the US and Japan signed a framework agreement for securing rare earth supplies and reducing reliance on China’s dominance in the sector.
According to Takaichi, there is substantial mud around Minamitori Island, located around 1,900km south-east of Tokyo, which is believed to contain abundant rare earths.
Japan plans to begin testing the feasibility of extracting rare earth mud from depths of 6,000m in January.
The Japanese Government is moving forward with a national project to boost domestic rare earth production, part of broader measures to enhance maritime and economic security.
According to an executive involved in the government-backed project, surveys have confirmed the presence of rich rare earth mud at depths of 5,000–6,000m within Japan’s exclusive economic zone near Minamitori Island.
If the initial tests are successful, the project plans to start trial operations in January 2027, using a system capable of recovering 350 tonnes of mud per day.
Currently, China leads global rare earth extraction, while the US and Myanmar account for around 12% and 8% of production, respectively, according to the Eurasia Group.
