Japan deep-sea drilling for rare earths

This strategic move is designed to counter China's dominance in the sector at a time of crisis in bilateral relations. The Chikyu drilling vessel is set to leave on Sunday for the Pacific island of Minami Torishima. Experts believe the seabed around it could contain the world's third-largest deposit.

Tokyo (AsiaNews) – In the ongoing battle for the exploitation of rare earths, essential to modern technologies and previously dominated by China, Japan has made a move that could change the balance of power in the Asia-Pacific region.

On 11 January, Japan is set to become “the first in the world” to mine for rare earths in deep-sea waters, at a depth of 6,000 metres, far exceeding the height of Mount Fuji.

For Japanese leaders, the intended goal is to reduce the country’s dependence on China.

A Japanese deep-sea scientific drilling vessel called Chikyu will sail to the remote Pacific island of Minami Torishima, which experts believe to be surrounded by a seabed containing rich deposits of precious minerals.

The research begins at a time of intense economic and geopolitical tensions with China, by far the world's leading supplier of rare earths.

Recently, Beijing has increased its pressure on Tokyo, after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made statements last November saying that her government would react militarily in the event of a Chinese attack on Taiwan.

Such a prospect is far from remote, especially given China's repeated threats to take, even by force if necessary, what it considers a “rebel island”, part of its own territory.

Rare earths are 17 metals that are hard to extract from the Earth's crust, but have become crucial in the making of numerous components, used in various applications, from electric vehicles and hard drives to wind turbines and missiles.

Chikyu’s mission is “a first step toward our country's industrialisation of domestic rare earths,” said Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) in a statement last month.

The agency has been informing the public about the test for months, noting that it is the first in the world at such depths.

During the test mission, the Chikyu will send a pipe underwater to ensure that a "mining machine" attached to its tip can reach the seabed and retrieve mud rich in rare earths. The mission is expected to last until 14 February.

Researchers believe the area around Minami Torishima, located within Japan's economic waters, could contain more 16 million tonnes of rare earths, which, according to the Nikkei business daily, would constitute the third-largest reserve in the world.

These rich deposits are thought to contain enough dysprosium, used in high-strength magnets for phones and electric cars, to last 730 years, and enough yttrium, used in lasers, to last 780 years.

“If Japan could successfully extract rare earths around Minami Torishima constantly, it will secure domestic supply chain for key industries,” Takahiro Kamisuna, 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,” he added.

China has long used its near monopoly in the rare earths sector for geopolitical leverage, drawing the ire of Washington, Tokyo, and Brussels, and is now using it as a weapon in its trade war with the Trump administration.

According to the International Energy Agency, China accounts for nearly two thirds of rare earth mining production and 92 per cent of global refined output.

Media reports this week indicate that China is delaying imports from and rare earths exports to Japan, as the dispute between the two countries, which began two months ago, escalates.

On Tuesday, Beijing blocked exports to Japan of "dual-use" items with potential military applications, fuelling fears in Japan that it could choke off supplies of rare earths, some of which are included on China's dual-use list.

A previous dispute in 2010 had pushed Japan to reduce its dependence on Beijing for rare earths, but according to Japan, more than 70 per cent still comes from China, a situation the country is trying to change.