盯上6000米深海稀土！日本派船探查 距中国加强两用物项出口管制不到一周！高市早苗已决定提前大选

Group 1: Political Developments in Japan - Japanese Prime Minister Sanna Takashi has decided to dissolve the House of Representatives on January 23 and hold early elections, with an official announcement expected soon [1][25] - Takashi's cabinet support rate remains high, prompting calls within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) for an early dissolution of the House [1] - Critics within the LDP and opposition parties argue that Takashi is prioritizing party interests over national concerns, particularly regarding the timing of the budget [1][28] Group 2: Rare Earth Mining Initiatives - Japan has officially launched the world's first deep-sea rare earth mining trial at a depth of 6000 meters near Minami-Torishima, with the aim of extracting rare earth materials from seabed mud [3][5] - The trial, conducted by the deep-sea drilling vessel "Chikyū," is expected to last about 20 days, targeting an average daily extraction of 350 tons of rare earth mud [5][9] - The project aims to diversify Japan's rare earth supply sources and reduce dependence on specific countries, with potential commercial mining set to begin in February 2027 if the trial is successful [9][19] Group 3: Economic Implications of Rare Earth Dependency - Japan currently relies on China for over 70% of its rare earth imports, with heavy rare earths being nearly 100% dependent on Chinese sources [19][23] - Economic analysts estimate that if China were to impose a complete ban on rare earth exports to Japan, the economic loss could reach approximately 2.6 trillion yen if the ban lasts for a year [23][19] - The Japanese government is exploring domestic rare earth production to enhance its strategic position and reduce reliance on imports [9][19]