Minamitorishima, Ogasawara Village, Tokyo (©Sankei by Kenji Suzuki)
Test drilling for rare earths off Minamitorishima in Ogasawara Village, Tokyo, is scheduled to begin in January 2026. The Cabinet Office's Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP), which is leading the project, outlined the plan at a press briefing on December 23.
The world's first effort to extract rare earth mud from roughly 6,000 meters beneath the seabed could mark a significant step toward reducing reliance on China, which dominates global production.
China has used its rare earths — essential for advanced technology manufacturing — as a tool of economic coercion. This, in turn, has made efforts to decouple from Beijing a challenge for many countries.
Drilling Amid Tensions
SIP Program Director Shoichi Ishii opened the press conference by noting that during a field survey in June, the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning had passed through the target waters within Japan's exclusive economic zone.
"We feel a considerable sense of crisis over being subjected to such intimidating actions," he said.
The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology's research vessel Chikyu will be used for the test drilling. Its departure is scheduled between January 11 and February 14, 2026, with roughly 20 days of operations planned at sea.
Deep Sea Quest
During test drilling, a long pipe is lowered from the ship to the seabed. Rare earth–bearing mud, compressed by deep-sea pressure, is mixed with seawater and agitated by a device attached to the pipe. This softens the mud, allowing it to flow through the pipe and be pumped up to the ship's deck.
A lifting test conducted in 2022 at a depth of roughly 2,500 meters off the coast of Ibaraki was successful. The lead technical expert expressed confidence that the upcoming test drilling "will not be significantly more difficult."
Starting in February 2027, the team plans to launch a large-scale pilot mining with a daily capacity of 350 tons. At that stage, they will assess factors such as resource reserves and economic feasibility.
Unlike land-based deposits, the rare earth mud off Minamitorishima is reported to contain almost no radioactive substances. This potentially lowers the costs of safety measures.
The mud is also thought to contain a higher concentration of the rarer heavy rare earths. Some estimates suggest Minamitorishima's reserves could satisfy global demand for several hundred years.
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Author: The Sankei Shimbun
(Read this in Japanese)
