The United States and Japan are stepping up efforts to reduce China’s dominance of the global rare earth minerals market through a joint deep-sea mining project near Japan’s Minamitorishima Island.
The two countries are conducting research and development aimed at extracting rare earth-rich mud from the seabed, with the deposits believed to contain minerals capable of supporting industrial demand for centuries.
The partnership was agreed in March during a strategic meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
Under a new memorandum of cooperation, Washington and Tokyo agreed to accelerate joint research, development and private-sector collaboration focused on the commercial exploitation of critical minerals found in deep-sea resources around Minamitorishima.
The agreement also includes a “Critical Minerals Action Plan” designed to expand production and diversify supply chains for key minerals. The initiative is expected to involve broader international trade cooperation, including measures such as price floors to encourage investment.
Japanese authorities are also considering bringing in U.S. companies with experience in offshore drilling and oil and gas operations to support the project. Houston-based Deep Reach Technology has reportedly held preliminary discussions with Japanese officials over possible participation in the extraction process.
The project gained further momentum after Japan’s Cabinet Office released findings from test samples collected earlier in the year. The samples reportedly contained notable concentrations of yttrium, gadolinium and dysprosium, all of which are important to various industrial and technological applications.
Further drilling is expected as Japan continues to assess the deposits, with authorities targeting the development of a commercialisation plan by 2028.
The move reflects growing efforts by the U.S. and its allies to secure alternative sources of rare earth minerals and reduce dependence on China, which currently plays a dominant role in the global supply chain.
U.S., Japan Team Up to Challenge China’s Rare Earth Dominance With Deep-Sea Mining Project
