Japan takes on seafloor rare earth mining for domestic production
World 17:06 07/05/2026TOKYO -- The Japanese government is taking on the challenge of mining critical minerals, including rare earths, from the seabed around Minamitorishima, a Japanese remote island in the Pacific, with an eye to realize domestic rare earth production in the future.
Japan sets sail on rare earth hunt as China tightens supplies
World 10:10 12/01/2026SHIZUOKA, Japan - A Japanese mining ship departed on Monday for a remote coral atoll to probe mud rich in rare earths, part of Tokyo's drive to curb its reliance on China for critical minerals as Beijing tightens supply.