Can Japan Really Become a "Resource Power"?

"Japan is finally becoming a resource power." In January 2026, news of test drilling for "rare earth mud" off Minamitorishima Island travelled across Japan. With China's export restrictions weighing on everyone, hopes for domestic resources have been running high.

But the seabed is not the only place rare earths turn up. There are fragments in Japan's mountains too.

"Takanawaite": A New Mineral Discovered in Mt. Takanawa, Ehime Prefecture

An Accidental Discovery Triggered by an Earthquake

The setting is Mt. Takanawa, 986 meters tall, in Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture. The 2001 Geiyo Earthquake collapsed a pegmatite known as a source of gadolinite, and a small mineral was collected from the rubble. Daisuke Hamane, then at Ehime University, took it for formanite and reported it as such in 2002.

The turn came a decade later. Now at the University of Tokyo's Institute for Solid State Physics, Hamane re-examined that "formanite" after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and found a crystal structure unlike any known mineral. In March 2012 the International Mineralogical Association recognised it, and it was named Takanawaite after the mountain. The original sample had been collected together with Tetsuo Minakawa, then an associate professor at Ehime University.

Characteristics of Takanawaite

Takanawaite is composed of the following rare elements:

  • Yttrium (a rare earth element): Used in LEDs, phosphors, and superconductors
  • Tantalum (a rare metal): Essential for mobile phone capacitors and nuclear reactor control rods
  • Niobium (a rare metal): Primarily used as a steel additive

The crystal appears as brown plate-like or radiating formations, ranging from a few millimeters to one centimeter in size. Minerals containing such high concentrations of these rare metals are extremely uncommon, making this a scientifically valuable discovery.

The Reality: Not a Ticket to "Resource Superpower" Status

Minakawa's Candid Assessment

This discovery does not solve Japan's resource problems. Minakawa offered a wry smile during an interview and said:

"It would be mined out in two or three days. That's the quantity we're talking about."

Rare earths are present. Whether there is enough of them to be worth mining is a different question. Takanawaite serves as an indicator of the geology in which rare metals concentrate, nothing more.

The "Three High Walls" Blocking Resource Development

Dr. Yohei Shirase, an assistant professor specializing in mineralogy at Ehime University's Graduate School of Science and Engineering, maintains a level-headed perspective. He points out three major barriers to domestic resource development:

1. Mining Volume Issues The rare earth content in Japanese granite is low, and no commercially viable deposits have been found.

2. Stable Supply Challenges Even if deposits were discovered, establishing continuous mining operations and stable supply systems would be necessary.

3. Radioactive Material Processing Most rare earth ores contain radioactive substances like thorium and uranium. Mining and refining generate large amounts of radioactive waste, requiring massive costs and strict management.

Dr. Shirase states, "Without technological innovation, mining on a scale viable for commercialization is unlikely."

Global Rare Earth Situation and China Dependency

China's Grip on the "Industrial Vitamin"

Rare earths comprise 17 elements including neodymium and dysprosium, materials essential for electric vehicle motors, smartphones, and wind turbine generators. They're often called the "industrial vitamin."

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), China accounted for approximately 69% of global rare earth production in 2024. In the refining stage, China commands an overwhelming 92% market share, leaving the world's high-tech industries dependent on China.

Lessons from the 2010 "Rare Earth Shock"

In 2010, following a fishing boat collision incident near the Senkaku Islands, China effectively restricted rare earth exports to Japan. Japanese manufacturing suffered significant damage. This experience prompted Japan to diversify procurement sources, develop recycling technologies, and strengthen national stockpiles. As a result, China dependency reportedly dropped from 90% to approximately 60%.

However, heavy rare earths used in EV motors (dysprosium, terbium, etc.) still depend almost 100% on China.

Export Restrictions Intensifying Since 2025

In April 2025, China strengthened export restrictions on seven types of rare earths as a countermeasure against trade friction with the United States. The impact extended to Japan, forcing some automakers to halt production. In January 2026, China also announced enhanced export controls on dual-use products for Japan, raising concerns about effects on rare earth-related products.

The Minamitorishima "Rare Earth Mud" Development Project

A World-First Deep-Sea Mining Challenge

Amid these circumstances, the "rare earth mud" development off Minamitorishima Island has attracted significant attention. In 2013, a research team from the University of Tokyo's Kato-Nakamura-Yasukawa Laboratory discovered that rare earth mud with high concentrations exists at approximately 6,000 meters depth within Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around Minamitorishima.

The estimated reserves are 16 million tons. The contained rare earths are "ultra-high concentration rare earth mud" with 20 times the grade of Chinese land-based mines, reportedly equivalent to decades or even centuries of Japan's annual demand.

January 2026: Test Drilling Begins

Under the Cabinet Office's Strategic Innovation Creation Program (SIP), the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)'s deep-sea drilling vessel "Chikyu" departed from Shimizu Port on January 12, 2026. The world's first test to extract rare earth mud from approximately 6,000 meters below sea level has begun.

The mining system uses a "closed-loop circulation method," an environmentally conscious technology that suppresses the dispersion of suspended matter into the ocean during extraction. If all goes well, full-scale mining tests will be conducted in February 2027, aiming for commercial extraction around 2030.

Major Advantages of Seabed Resources

The rare earth mud off Minamitorishima has significant advantages not found in land-based mines:

  • Almost no radioactive substances: Rare earths concentrated in seawater are "clean resources" with minimal concern for radioactive waste
  • Simplified refining process: Low levels of harmful substances enable environmentally friendly refining
  • High heavy rare earth content: Particularly valuable dysprosium and terbium are abundant

Challenges to Commercialization

Cost and Profitability

Nevertheless, the path to commercialization is far from smooth. Mining at 6,000-meter depths is unprecedented, with annual operating costs for the drilling vessel "Chikyu" exceeding 10 billion yen (approximately $65 million), or tens of millions of yen per day.

Japan's annual rare earth demand is approximately 18,000 tons. Meeting this would require extracting several million tons of mud annually, and the prospect of competing with Chinese prices remains low at present.

Geopolitical Risks

The waters around Minamitorishima are located in the western Pacific, where U.S.-China tensions are intensifying, and Chinese naval activity has become more frequent. In June 2025, the aircraft carrier "Liaoning" was confirmed to have temporarily entered Minamitorishima's EEZ, possibly with the intent of checking exploration activities.

What "Mountains" and "Seas" Tell Us About Japan's Options

What Takanawaite Teaches Us

The Takanawaite discovered in Mt. Takanawa, Ehime Prefecture, unfortunately has limited commercial value. However, the discovery holds great significance.

Daisuke Hamane of the University of Tokyo's Institute for Solid State Physics put it this way: "Minerals with such high-density concentrations of these components are extremely rare and serve as a clue for investigating domestic rare earth distribution. Profitability is the problem for resource development, but if we can elucidate the conditions of occurrence and search for places with similar geology, we might be able to target undiscovered deposits."

In other words, Takanawaite could serve as an important "indicator" for rare earth exploration within Japan.

No Quick Fix: Patient Accumulation is Necessary

There's no shortcut to becoming a "resource power." Both the seabed resource development off Minamitorishima and land-based exploration like at Mt. Takanawa can only be realized through patient accumulation of scientific research and technological innovation.

What Japan needs is a multifaceted approach:

  1. Diversification of procurement: Strengthening acquisition from countries other than China, such as Australia, India, and Kazakhstan
  2. Development of alternative technologies: Research on magnets and materials that don't use rare earths
  3. Promotion of recycling: Rare earth recovery from used products
  4. Domestic resource development: Establishing exploration and mining technologies for both seabed and land

What's the Rare Earth Situation in Your Country?

What discussions are taking place in your country regarding important mineral resources like rare earths? Are there domestic mining projects? What efforts are being made to reduce dependence on China? Please share your country's situation in the comments.

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