During a Deep-Sea Mission, Japan Extracts Sediments Containing Rare Earth Elements

On Sunday, the Japanese government announced that sediments containing rare earth elements were extracted from a depth of 6,000 meters during a test mission in the Pacific Ocean. This announcement comes as Japan seeks to reduce its dependence on Chinese strategic minerals.

This is a "significant" discovery for Japan, which aims to lessen its reliance on Beijing for strategic minerals. On Monday, February 2, Tokyo reported that rare earth-containing sediments were retrieved from a depth of 6,000 meters during a Japanese test mission at sea. According to Japan, this marks the first global attempt to exploit rare earth elements at such depths.

"Details will be analyzed, including the exact quantity of rare earth elements contained in the sample," stated Kei Sato, a government spokesperson. He described the discovery as a "significant achievement, both in terms of economic security and maritime development."

The sample was extracted by the Japanese research vessel Chikyu, which set sail in mid-January towards the isolated Japanese island of Minami Torishima in the Pacific. The surrounding waters are believed to be potentially rich in valuable minerals.

This announcement comes amid rising pressure from China, the world's leading supplier of rare earth elements, after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested in November that Tokyo might respond militarily to an attack on Taiwan, an island claimed by Beijing.