Finally, Japan begins to worry about China's restrictions on rare earth exports!
On November 19, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Kiwamu Miyara still insisted at a regular press conference that, as of now, Japan has not officially received an official notice from China regarding the complete suspension of imports of Japanese seafood products.
According to a report by Kyodo News, although there is no formal "ban" in place, the current situation is already worrying. A Ministry of Foreign Affairs official revealed that a batch of salted sea cucumbers transported by air to China is currently stuck at the customs clearance stage. The Japanese side has repeatedly held "technical consultations" with China on this matter, but the Chinese side has responded coldly and with a passive attitude. This "no rejection, no release" approach could potentially evolve into an effective import suspension.
More concerning is that the anxiety within the Japanese government about the escalation of the situation is spreading from seafood products to another critical area — rare earths. Rare earth elements include 17 metals such as neodymium, dysprosium, and praseodymium, which are widely used in high-tech industries such as electric vehicle motors, wind turbines, and precision-guided weapons.
China is the world's largest producer and exporter of rare earths. According to data from 2024, China accounts for approximately 63% of global rare earth mining and over 85% of rare earth exports. Japan, as a major country in high-end manufacturing, relies heavily on China for its rare earth imports, with the share of imports from China reaching as high as 58% in 2023.
A senior official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who wished to remain anonymous, privately admitted: "China is showing an unstoppable trend." Although this statement does not appear in any official declaration, it reveals Tokyo's true assessment — if the seafood issue is just the prelude, then restrictions on rare earth exports may become the next bargaining chip.
At present, China has not taken any public measures to restrict rare earth exports, but the Japanese government clearly has started preparing for the worst. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry recently convened a closed-door meeting with companies such as Toyota, Panasonic, and Sumitomo Metal, to assess the risk of rare earth supply disruption and explore emergency reserves and alternative solutions.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1849301193750724/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.