Japan and US to discuss joint rare earths development: PM Takaichi
The Straits Times
Japan and the US are seeking to curb dependence on China for the valuable minerals. Read more at straitstimes.com.
TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on March 18 that she would discuss joint development of deep-sea rare earths off a remote Pacific island when she meets US President Donald Trump this week.
Tokyo in February succeeded in retrieving sediment containing rare earths – 17 metals used in everything from electric vehicles to hard drives and missiles – from ocean depths of 6,000m on a test mission close to Minamitorishima island.
Japan and the US, as well as many other countries, are seeking to curb dependence on China for the valuable minerals.
“We discussed resource development when President Trump visited Japan in October last year, and since February, Japan and the US have begun concrete discussions on cooperating regarding development of marine mineral resources,” Ms Takaichi told Parliament.
“The rare earths in waters around Minamitorishima are one of the targets of this effort... I expect it will also be taken up in the upcoming Japan-US summit meeting”, scheduled for March 19, she added.
“We will be discussing the specifics of what such cooperation should look like.”
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