Japan Launches Long-Term Funding Initiative to Advance Seafloor Rare-Earth Mining

Funding for deep-sea extraction could amount to hundreds of billions of yen

The Chikyu, a deep-sea drilling vessel tasked with developing rare-earth resources from the seabed near Minamitorishima. (Photograph by Ryoko Shimonoya)

SACHIKO KAWAHARA

August 26, 2026 03:03 JST

TOKYO — Japan plans to overhaul a funding program aimed at advancing technology linked to economic security, with the goal of supporting a sustained initiative to mine rare-earth elements from the seabed and lessen dependence on China.

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