China Still Blocking Rare Earth Exports to Japan
The AFP reports that China’s embargo of rare earth metal exports is still in place. Japanese companies are still having serious trouble obtaining rare earth metals from China, despite claims by the Chinese government that such trouble should not exist:
Tokyo has accused China of restricting shipments of rare earths — elements used in high-tech products from iPods to cars — since a September maritime incident in disputed waters sparked a bitter diplomatic row.
China, which controls 95 per cent of the global market, has denied any embargo, but a Japanese trade ministry survey in October found that all 31 companies handling rare earths in Japan had reported disruption to shipments.
Japanese deputy cabinet secretary Noriyuki Shikata warned Thursday that “Chinese companies could suffer as a result — we are exporting some of those parts or materials (made with rare earths) to China”.
“It’s in the interests of the Chinese side” to resume shipments, he said.
Japan is in talks with “many candidate countries” over alternative rare earth supplies, Shikata said, including India, Vietnam, Mongolia and Botswana, while private-sector deals are already in place with Australian firms.
Related clip: The New York Times talks about rare earth metals
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