中日稀土博弈升级，高市坐不住了，亮出藏了14年的底牌？

Core Viewpoint - The Japanese government has announced the initiation of a rare earth mining project at Minami-Torishima, driven by concerns over China's rare earth export policies and the need for self-sufficiency in high-tech industries and military equipment [1][6]. Group 1: Mining Project Details - Minami-Torishima is Japan's only known location for rare earth mining, situated in the Pacific between Japan and Southeast Asia [1]. - The rare earth reserves at Minami-Torishima were discovered in 2011 and confirmed in 2013, with an estimated total of 16 million tons, primarily heavy rare earths, sufficient for global use for approximately 730 years [1]. Group 2: Challenges in Mining - Despite the promising reserves, the mining process is expected to be extremely challenging and costly, with the deposits located 5,500 meters underwater, beyond the reach of current equipment [1]. - Estimates suggest that even with a full year of equipment rental, Japan could only extract a few hundred kilograms of rare earths, with a staggering cost of $120 million per kilogram, making large-scale mining economically unfeasible [3]. Group 3: Technical and Supply Chain Issues - Japan faces significant technical challenges in purifying heavy rare earths, as its existing technology lags behind China's 5N and 6N purification standards, and there is little experience with heavy rare earth processing [5]. - Concerns are heightened by the lack of response from China regarding rare earth import applications submitted by Japanese companies, leading to anxiety within various sectors in Japan [5]. Group 4: Strategic Implications - Japan's move to develop its rare earth resources reflects a deeper long-term dilemma regarding reliance on Chinese supplies, which account for over 90% of global rare earth exports [6]. - The potential loss of access to Chinese rare earths poses a severe threat to Japan's high-tech industries and national security, as many military applications depend on these materials [6].