Japan Sets Sail on Rare Earth Hunt as China Tightens Supplies

Japan's drilling-equipped research vessel Chikyu departs from Shimizu port to conduct a test recovery of rare-earth–rich mud near Minamitori Island, marking the world’s first attempt to continuously lift rare-earth seabed sludge from a depth of about 6 km onto a ship, in Shimizu, Shizuoka prefecture, Japan, on Jan. 12, 2026. Yuka Obayashi/Reuters

SHIZUOKA, Japan– A Japanese mining ship departed on Monday for a remote coral atoll to probe mud rich in rare earths, part of Tokyo’s drive to curb its reliance on China for critical minerals as Beijing tightens supply.

The month-long mission of the test vessel Chikyu near Minamitori Island some 1,900 kilometers (1,200 miles) southeast of Tokyo, will mark the world’s first attempt to continuously ‍lift rare-earth seabed sludge from 6 kilometers (4 miles) deep onto a ship.