Japan plans a dedicated ship to lead the deep-sea rare earths race
Japan's government plans to build a dedicated research vessel for extracting rare-earth elements from the deep seabed. According to the South China Morning Post, the project aims to reduce critical-mineral reliance on China. The first mission is targeted for 2028.
According to the South China Morning Post, Japan plans to build a research vessel dedicated to harvesting rare-earth elements from deep-sea basins inside its Exclusive Economic Zone. The project aims to lower China's share of Japanese rare-earth imports, currently above 60 percent. The vessel is expected to enter service in 2028.
The government is set to earmark around 100 billion yen for the program in the next budget year. The plan covers drilling technology development, environmental impact assessments and integration of underwater robotic systems. The JOGMEC agency will run the project in partnership with private companies.
China's recent tightening of rare-earth export licenses has worried the electric vehicle and semiconductor sectors. Japan is also keeping the door open to joint deep-sea mining work with the United States and India. Environmental groups have flagged potential damage to underwater ecosystems.
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