Rare earths, essential to products such as electric vehicles, wind turbines, hard drives, and missiles,s are abundant in waters near Japan’s Minami Torishima island.
The Nikkei business daily estimates the area holds more than 16 million tons of rare earths, making it the world’s third-largest known reserve.
The deposits are believed to contain enough dysprosium for 730 years and yttrium for 780 years, both crucial for high-tech and defense applications.
Analysts say successful extraction would help Japan secure domestic supply chains for key industries and reduce reliance on imports.
The development could also weaken China’s geopolitical leverage, as Beijing currently dominates global rare earth mining and refining.
Source: PhilNews24 | February 3, 2026
