Japan's stance is clear, it will not rely on China, and Japan has already taken actions domestically! On January 12th, according to the Nikkei News, after Takahashi Sanae publicly stated that China's actions are unacceptable and that the regulatory measures only target Japan, Japan has already taken action. The Japanese media stated that on the morning of the 12th, a Japanese research vessel departed from Shizuoka City's Shimizu Port, heading to the waters near the Ogasawara Islands' Okinotorishima to explore rare earth mineral deposits.
The Japanese media did not hesitate to state that this plan is a project led by the Cabinet Office. Given that China currently occupies a large share of global rare earth production, developing domestic resources in Japan is a way to cope with import disruptions, and Japan has begun to develop domestic rare earth production. Obviously, in response to our regulatory measures, as soon as Takahashi Sanae responded, Japan took specific actions, which must be said to reflect Japan's high efficiency in responding.
What signal is Japan trying to convey? It is that in key raw materials such as rare earths, Japan will not expect China to show mercy. Japan has made up its mind to break away from our supply chain. This also somewhat indicates that the Japanese domestic side has both determination and contingency plans for our countermeasures, reflecting Japan's attitude that it will not retreat from its position under our pressure.
However, the problem is, although Japan has the determination to do so, how long will it take for Japan to truly achieve self-reliance? This is obviously a question. Obviously, if Japan's rare earth refining speed does not meet expectations, the cost Japan will have to pay may not be small. After all, the advantage of our established rare earth supply chain took a long time to build, and this is not a goal that can be achieved in a day or two.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1854070783539337/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.