Sediment containing rare earth elements was recovered from ocean depths of around 6,000 metres (20,000 feet) during a Japanese test mission, the government said on Monday, as Tokyo seeks to reduce its dependence on China for the critical minerals.
Japan said the operation marked the world’s first attempt to extract deep-sea rare earths from such an extreme depth.
“Details will be analysed, including exactly how much rare earth is contained” in the sample, government spokesman Kei Sato said, describing the mission as “a meaningful achievement both in terms of economic security and comprehensive maritime development”.
The sediment was collected by the deep-sea scientific drilling vessel Chikyu, which departed last month for the remote Pacific island of Minami Torishima, an area believed to hold substantial reserves of valuable minerals in surrounding waters.
The mission comes amid heightened tensions with China — the world’s largest supplier of rare earths — following comments by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in November suggesting Japan could respond militarily to a potential attack on Taiwan, which Beijing has pledged to bring under its control by force if necessary.
China has since restricted exports to Japan of so-called “dual-use” items with possible military applications, intensifying concerns in Tokyo that Beijing could also curtail supplies of rare earths, some of which are included on China’s list of dual-use goods.
Rare earths — a group of 17 metals that are difficult to extract from the Earth’s crust — are essential for a wide range of products, including electric vehicles, hard drives, wind turbines and missiles.
The waters around Minami Torishima, which lies within Japan’s economic zone, are estimated to contain more than 16 million tonnes of rare earths, making it the world’s third-largest reserve, according to the Nikkei business daily.
The deposits are believed to include roughly 730 years’ worth of dysprosium, used in high-strength magnets for smartphones and electric vehicles, and 780 years’ worth of yttrium, which is used in lasers, Nikkei reported.
“If Japan could successfully extract rare earths around Minami Torishima constantly, it will secure domestic supply chain for key industries,” Takahiro Kamisuna, a research associate at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), told AFP.
“Likewise, it will be a key strategic asset for Takaichi’s government to significantly reduce the supply chain dependence on China.”
China has long leveraged its dominance in rare earth production for geopolitical influence, including during its trade disputes with the administration of former US President Donald Trump.
According to the International Energy Agency, China accounts for nearly two-thirds of global rare earth mining output and about 92 percent of the world’s refined production.
