Japan and US to discuss joint rare earths development: PM Takaichi

– Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on March 18 she would discuss joint development with the United States of deep sea rare earths off a remote Pacific island when she meets President Donald Trump this week. Tokyo in February succeeded in retrieving sediment containing rare earths – 17 metals used in everything from electric vehicles to hard drives and missiles – from ocean depths of 6,000m on a test mission close to Minamitorishima island. Japan and the United States, as well as many other countries, are seeking to curb dependence on China for the valuable minerals. “We discussed resources…