Japan is to diversify its sources of rare earths away from China and expects to get half its supplies of the elements from countries other than China from the middle of next year, Trade Minister Yukio Edano said on Monday.
Japan gets about 90 percent of its imports of rare earth elements, which are used in technologies such as smartphones and hybrid cars, from China. But Japan is accelerating the search for alternative suppliers to reduce its dependence and ensure stable supplies.
The push to diversify supplies comes during a period of tension between the neighbours over the disputed ownership of a string of small islands in the East China Sea. China held back shipments of rare earths to Japan in 2010 after a dispute.
“We want to further diversify sources of suppliers, secure our interests and support domestic technological development to cut the amount used and promote recycling,” Edano told parliament.
Source: Reuters
By Kaori Kaneko