âť“WHAT HAPPENED: Japan has begun testing the feasibility of mining rare-earth elements from the deep seabed near Minamitori Island.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Japanese government, researchers from the University of Tokyo and the Nippon Foundation, and the research vessel Chikyu.
đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: Testing runs from January 11 to February 14, 2026, in waters around Minamitori Island.
🎯IMPACT: The project aims to reduce reliance on China’s rare-earth supply chain and strengthen Japan’s economic and maritime security.
Japan has initiated a government-backed trial to test the feasibility of mining rare-earth elements from the seabed near Minamitori Island. The trial, which runs from January 11 to February 14, 2026, involves retrieving rare-earth-rich mud from a depth of approximately 6,000 meters. This marks the first global attempt to continuously lift such material from the deep ocean.
The research vessel Chikyu, departing from central Japan, will conduct the test. The project aims to lift hundreds of tons of sediment daily while monitoring environmental impacts both on the ocean floor and aboard the vessel. If successful, Japan plans to conduct a larger trial next year.
The trial comes as China, which dominates the global rare-earth supply chain, has signaled potential export controls on rare-earth minerals to Japan. Beijing recently announced a ban on exporting dual-use items with potential military applications, raising concerns that rare earths could be included. Japan currently relies on China for about 60 percent of its rare-earth imports.
Japanese officials have highlighted that the deposits near Minamitori Island lack radioactive materials such as thorium and uranium, which are often associated with land-based rare-earth mining, and, importantly, should reduce the risk of contamination of seawater. Research from the University of Tokyo and the Nippon Foundation previously identified over 200 million tonnes of manganese nodules in the Pacific Ocean.
While the project aims to secure critical minerals for clean energy technologies and defense, environmental groups and marine scientists warn of potential long-term damage to deep-sea ecosystems. A recent study reported a 37 percent decrease in seafloor animal populations in a mining exploration zone, prompting calls for a moratorium on deep-sea mining at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France.
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