Editorial

15:34 JST, January 15, 2026

China is intensifying its strategy of using export restrictions on items related to rare earths as a weapon of its economic coercion. There is an urgent need for the Group of Seven advanced nations to take the lead in establishing a system to break away from dependence on China for rare earths.

A ministerial-level meeting on critical minerals, including rare earths, was held in Washington on Jan. 12. The finance ministers from G7 nations such as Japan, the United States and European countries, along with relevant ministers from resource-rich Australia, India, Mexico and South Korea, participated in the meeting and agreed to reduce dependence on China for rare earths.

Rare earths are strategic resources that underpin environmental and communication technologies,........

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