中方刚取消水产品禁令，日本就急挖海底稀土，意图向美国示好？中方反应耐人寻味

Group 1 - The recent lifting of the import ban on seafood from certain regions of Japan by China is interpreted as a sign of warming relations between China and Japan [1] - Japan's Prime Minister Kishida Fumio announced plans to start deep-sea rare earth mining in Minami-Torishima by 2025, aiming to reduce dependence on China [1][3] - The deep-sea mining initiative is seen as a political maneuver to gain leverage in trade negotiations with the United States amid ongoing trade tensions [3][6] Group 2 - The extraction of rare earth elements from deep-sea sources is technically challenging and requires significant financial investment, with costs being several times higher than land-based mining [3][5] - Even if Japan successfully extracts rare earths, the high costs may lead to inflated market prices, potentially harming key industries such as automotive and electronics [5] - Japan's current technology for rare earth purification lags behind, with 92% of global refining capacity concentrated in China, indicating that Japan may still need to rely on China for processing [5][6] Group 3 - Japan's high-profile statements regarding rare earths are largely aimed at increasing bargaining power in US-Japan trade talks, signaling a willingness to contribute to a "de-China" supply chain if the US makes concessions on tariffs [6] - The strategy may backfire if perceived as empty promises, potentially increasing pressure on Japan in negotiations with the US [6][8] - The competition for rare earth resources highlights that the core of resource independence is not merely about having access to mines, but rather about the ability to utilize those resources effectively [8]