Japan is deploying its strategic reserves of rare earth elements to mitigate the immediate supply shock from China’s latest export restrictions.
The move by the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) aims to stabilize domestic industrial output while the government seeks longer-term alternatives to Chinese sourcing.
The decision comes as Beijing has placed 10 US companies on its export control list, targeting firms active in the defense and rare earths mining sectors.
This escalation represents a direct countermeasure to Washington’s own technology restrictions, widening the scope of the trade dispute beyond semiconductors to critical raw materials.
JOGMEC, headquartered in Tokyo’s Toranomon district, is coordinating the release of stockpiled materials to key manufacturers.
Beyond immediate stockpile releases, Japanese authorities are accelerating efforts to diversify supply chains.