China Dependence

Japan is speeding up a decade-old plan to extract rare earths from the deep seabed, driven by efforts to reduce reliance on Chinese supplies. A state-owned vessel is set to return to port this month after installing equipment in Japanese waters near a coral atoll 2,000 kilometers from Tokyo, with tests to pull metal-bearing mud potentially starting as early as February 2027. The initiative underscores the country's focus on economic security.