Japan has signed agreements with five African countries to explore and extract critical minerals used in high-tech industries.
The move is poised to strategically mitigate Tokyo’s reliance on China for key minerals. Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura, accompanied by Chairman and CEO of the country’s state-owned Organization for Metals and Energy Security Ichiro Takahara, spent a week in Namibia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Zambia, Angola and Madagascar to secure access to critical minerals including rare earths, cobalt, lithium, and nickel.
Minister Nishimura stated that, “Japan will take the lead in creating and promoting concrete measures to boldly advance exploration and mine development, strengthen the smelting business, develop alternative technologies and [establish] emergency stockpiles.”
Agreements signed with Namibia will enable Japanese countries to explore deposits of rare earth minerals while a joint agreement aimed at advancing trade cooperation was signed in Angola.
Meanwhile, the Japanese delegation signed agreements to secure exploration for key materials for electric vehicles, such as cobalt, lithium, and copper with the DRC.
In Zambia, Minister Nishimura and Takahara signed a joint statement on cooperation in the mining sector while agreements were signed with Madagascar to secure participation in the country’s nickel and cobalt mining and refining enterprises.
Under the agreements, Japanese companies will receive Government support to expand operations in Africa.
The move is aimed at strategically diversifying Japan’s sources of critical minerals in order to enhance economic security and draw private investment.
