Japan aims to dig deep-sea rare earths to reduce China dependence

Scientific drilling boat called the Chikyu left Shimizu Port in Shizuoka around 9 a.m. for the remote island of Minami Torishima in the Pacific, where surrounding waters are believed to contain a rich trove of valuable minerals. The area around Minami Torishima, which is in Japan's economic waters, is estimated to contain more than 16 million tons of rare earths, which the Nikkei business daily says is the third-largest reserve globally. China this month blocked exports to Japan of "dual-use" items with potential military uses, fueling worries in Japan that Beijing could choke supplies of rare earths, some of which are included in China's list of dual-use goods.