Japan seeks to fund rare-earth mining under long-term tech support

PoliticsAssistance for deep-sea extraction could reach hundreds of billions of yenThe Chikyu, a deep-sea drilling vessel for the effort to develop rare-earth resources from the seafloor near Minamitorishima. (Ryoko Shimonoya)SACHIKO KAWAHARAAugust 26, 2026 03:03 JSTTOKYO -- Japan will revamp a program that helps fund development of technology tied to economic security, looking to support a long-term effort toward rare-earth mining on the seafloor to reduce reliance on China.Read NextLatest on Politics