Japan looks to salvage rare earths using nuclear reprocessing tech
MaterialsNew technology promises to recover strategic materials from industrial wasteThe absorbent, shown here, can chemically remove rare-earth elements from liquids. (Japan Atomic Energy Agency)MOMOKO IMAMURAAugust 26, 2026 05:01 JSTTOKYO -- The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and others have developed technology t
Ditching Chinese Rare Earths Is Hard. Just Ask Japan.
The clock is ticking before a tenuous U.S.-China trade truce expires this fall, and the countdown has left U.S. President Donald Trump increasingly desperate to ditch Chinese rare earths once and for all. Few world powers understand that feeling quite like Japan. After all, the country has been in Washington’s shoes be
