Headline, December 26 2025/ TIME : ''' RARE EARTHS RAKE '''

TIME : 

''' RARE EARTHS RAKE '''

! A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS ! and all blessings that go with it. Welcome to the World Students Society - for every subject in the world.

THIS YEAR - CHINA INTRODUCED expansive rare-earth export controls, first in April and again in October, restricting the materials themselves and the processing technology. Beijing's measures targeted all exports, not just those bound for Japan.

Although the broader October restrictions were temporarily suspended through a truce with the United States in November, countries are scrambling to lessen their dependency on China.

JAPAN OFFERS A MODEL FOR RARE FREE OF China. Tokyo learned the hard way to reduce dependence on Beijing's supply of minerals.

The world reacted with alarm this year when Beijing introduced waves of export controls on rare earths - the minerals vital to the manufacturing of everything from cars to advanced electronics. For Japan, the experience felt like deja vu.

CHINA maintains a near monopoly on the supply of the metals. Japan learned that the hard way in 2010, when China effectively cut it off during a territorial dispute between the countries.

Tokyo has since quietly stitched together a supply chain that is considerably less dependent on China. For Japan, that is an important hedge to political risk, as a recent flare-up in tensions between the nations underscores.

As the United States and other nations scramble to secure rare earths outside China and build up their domestic supplies, Japan's experience provides lessons in how it can be done, according to interviews with current and former government officials, business executives and industry experts in Japan.

'' The urgency of the rare-earths situation is just now dawning on the United States and Europe,'' said Naoki Kobayashi, an official working in the minerals division of Japan's trade ministry.

'' For Japan, this painful lesson came 15 years ago,'' he said.

President Trump has said it would take the United States about a year to secure sample rare-earth supplies. But Japan is a case study in how hard it is to pull out of China's grip - especially its cost competitive rare-earth processing facilities.

Experts say such an effort requires both sustained government support and international collaborations.

In September 2010, a collision near disputed islands between a Chinese fishing trawler and two Japanese Coast Guard vessels escalated into a diplomatic and economic crisis.

Japan detained the captain of the Chinese ship and Beijing, in retaliation, implemented an unannounced  two-month embargo on rare-earth exports. At first, the significance of China's move was lost on some Japanese officials.

'' Moment Of Truth : For officials in Japan, the current situation presents an opportunity to band together with other countries to solve the issue of cost, one that over the past 15 years, Japan has struggled to tackle on its own.

The U.S. is a great country, for sure, but I don't think it can deal with China effectively on its own, '' Mr. Terazawa, the former trade ministry official, who now heads an energy Think Tank in Tokyo said.

The recent agreements to coordinate are the groundwork. Now, he said comes the moment of truth : '' Is the U.S. really committed to work with its allies?''

The Honour and Serving of the Latest Global Operational Research on Special Materials, Future and Advances, continues. The World Students Society thanks River Akira Davis and Kiuko Notoya.

With most respectful dedication to the Leaders, Students, Professors and Teachers of the world.

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