A Japanese research vessel returned to a port in central Japan on Saturday after collecting mud containing rare earth elements from the seabed near Minamitorishima. The February mission successfully retrieved samples from a depth of about 6,000 meters as part of a government project to secure critical minerals and reduce reliance on external suppliers.
The Japanese research vessel Chikyu departed from Shimizu Port in Shizuoka Prefecture on January 12 and began retrieving mud on February 1 from a depth of about 5,600 meters in waters off Minamitori Island in the Pacific, approximately 1,900 kilometers southeast of central Tokyo. The vessel returned to a port in central Japan on Saturday, marking the completion of the sampling phase.
Shoichi Ishii, program director of the Cabinet Office leading the project, told reporters at the port: "We have established technology to retrieve rare earth mud from the deep-sea floor." He added, "We will accelerate preparations for a full-fledged test."
The forthcoming test aims to collect around 350 tons of sediment per day. Following analysis of the mud samples, an implementation plan for this full-scale mining test, scheduled for February 2027, will be developed. The government intends to assess the cost benefits of industrializing deep-sea rare earth extraction by March 2028.
This effort represents progress toward domestic production of rare earths, which are vital for modern technologies including electric vehicles and defense equipment, in response to China's dominance in supply and refining. According to the Cabinet Office, the rare earth sediments are located within Japan's exclusive economic zone, though the high costs of mining and transporting from remote sites like Minamitori pose challenges to commercial viability. Further development of extraction technology is underway to support these goals.