US and Japan Plan Deepest Undersea Rare Earth Mine

The United States and Japan are planning the world's deepest undersea mining project to extract rare earth minerals from the seabed near Minamitorishima, a remote Japanese island in the Pacific Ocean. The deposits, located 6,000 meters below the surface, contain heavy rare earths such as yttrium, gadolinium, and dysprosium that could potentially meet industrial demand for centuries.

Sanae Takaichi, the Prime Minister of Japan, and U.S. President Donald Trump are championing the initiative to reduce their nations' reliance on China following Beijing's imposition of export controls. Japan intends to conduct a full-scale mining test in February 2027, targeting commercialization by 2028. The project faces high technical risks due to extreme water pressure and costs estimated at three times those of land-based extraction.

The project coincides with heightened regional tensions. Japan has increased military fortifications on Minamitorishima after a Chinese aircraft carrier entered the island's exclusive economic zone in June 2025. While the Government of China maintains its naval activities and marine research serve peaceful purposes and follow international law, the U.S. and Japan view the seabed project as a strategic necessity for supply chain security.