In a major step to reduce dependence on China, U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi signed an agreement in Tokyo on Tuesday to deepen cooperation on rare earths and critical minerals. These materials are crucial for advanced technologies, including smartphones, electric vehicles, wind turbines, defence equipment, and more.
The framework aims to boost mining, processing, recycling, and stockpiling efforts, while mobilizing public and private investments to build resilient and diversified supply chains. It comes amid China’s tightening of rare earth export controls, sparking strategic moves by the U.S. and Japan to secure access independently.
The deal also includes collaboration on related sectors like shipbuilding and artificial intelligence, signaling a broader partnership beyond minerals.
This agreement sets the stage for a “new golden age” in US-Japan relations, emphasizing innovation and industrial security in the face of evolving global trade dynamics. President Trump is expected to continue dialogues with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the upcoming APEC summit.
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