Japanese Media: China's Rare Earth Magnet Exports to Japan Drop by Nearly 35% MoM
According to trade data released by China's General Administration of Customs on the 20th, as cited by Kyodo News, China exported 123 tons of rare earth magnets to Japan in May, a 34.6% decrease from the previous month, falling to the lowest level since May last year. At that time, due to U.S.-China trade tensions, China tightened export controls, leading to a sharp decline in exports.
The report states that magnets are one of the representative applications of rare earth elements, widely used in motors for electric vehicles (EVs) and industrial machinery. Rare earth magnet exports have remained below 200 tons for three consecutive months. In May, China’s overall exports of rare earth magnets to the world declined only by 7.7%, whereas the drop in exports to Japan was particularly significant. Exports to the United States also decreased by 7.7%.
Kyodo News noted that the list of dual-use items also includes rare metals; related products such as tungsten carbide continued to have zero exports to Japan in May, following the same trend seen from February to April.
Last November, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Kōchi openly declared that “an incident involving Taiwan” could constitute a “national survival crisis situation” for Japan. This statement enraged Beijing, causing bilateral relations to rapidly deteriorate. In response, Beijing reinstated import restrictions on Japanese seafood, advised its citizens against traveling to Japan, and imposed export controls on key minerals including rare earths. On January 6, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced a ban on exporting dual-use items to all Japanese military users, military purposes, or any final users that could contribute to enhancing Japan’s military capabilities.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1868562146879488/
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