Japan and the U.S. will join forces to extract rare earths in the waters around a small island in the Pacific, after the two allies struck an agreement to work together to cut their reliance on China for the critical mineral.
In January, the Japanese government will start a demonstration test to retrieve mud including rare earths from a depth of 6,000 meters near the island of Minamitorishima, according to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Surveys have found that near the island, which is roughly 1,950 kilometers southeast of central Tokyo, there is abundant mud rich in rare earths, she said.
“Securing various ways to procure rare earths is important for both Japan and the U.S.,” Takaichi said Thursday in parliament. “We will also consider concrete ways for Japan and the U.S. to cooperate on rare earth development in the waters around Minamitorishima.”
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