Japan to Start Rare Earth Mining at Okinotorishima Island Next Year, Taro Kono Says U.S. Cooperation is Under Study
Japanese Prime Minister Taro Kono stated during a parliamentary session on the 6th that the Japanese government is considering specific cooperation methods with the United States regarding the development of rare earth resources in the waters around Okinotorishima Island. She emphasized that ensuring the diversification of rare earth supplies has strategic significance for both Japan and the United States.
According to a report by the "Nikkei", Japan plans to start trial mining operations near Okinotorishima Island from January next year. A research team from the University of Tokyo has been conducting underwater exploration in this area since 2013, discovering high concentrations of rare earth mud on the seabed, estimated to be about 16 million tons, ranking third in the world. However, due to the mine being located in deep sea areas about 6,000 meters deep, there are challenges such as high technical difficulty, expensive costs, and environmental risks.
To promote the development of rare earth resources, the Japanese Cabinet Office is advancing related projects through the "Strategic Innovation Creation Program" (SIP), aiming to achieve an underwater rare earth mud extraction volume of approximately 350 tons per day after January next year. The key in the future will be whether the extraction efficiency and output can be further improved.
During a meeting last month with U.S. President Trump, the two sides signed a "Framework Agreement on Critical Minerals and Rare Earth Supply", reaching a consensus on establishing a stable rare earth supply system, with the goal of reducing dependence on China's processing and refining links through cooperation between the two countries.
When questioned about the issue for two consecutive days in the parliament, Taro Kono emphasized that the mineral and energy resources within Japan's territorial waters and exclusive economic zone are important "domestic resources" for enhancing Japan's energy self-sufficiency. She revealed that the government is actively studying the feasibility and implementation path of cooperation with the United States in the development of rare earths in Okinotorishima Island. (Rural Cat)
Figure 1: Japanese Prime Minister Taro Kono pointed out that Japan will cooperate with the United States to develop rare earths near Okinotorishima Island. (AFP)
Figure 2: Okinotorishima Island is located 1,900 kilometers southeast of Tokyo (red dot in the map), and is Japan's easternmost territory.
Original text: www.toutiao.com/article/1848083122854020/
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