ZGXT(SZ:000831) Sou Hu Cai Jing·2026-01-15 12:12Group 1 - The article discusses Japan's long-term efforts to reduce its dependence on Chinese rare earth elements, which have not yielded the desired results, as evidenced by high costs and reliance on Chinese technology [1][10][21] - Rare earth elements, a group of 17 metals, are crucial for modern industries, but their distribution and processing are highly imbalanced globally, with China dominating both resource availability and processing capabilities [3][7][8] - Japan's attempts to establish a self-sufficient rare earth supply chain have included global mining investments, technology recycling, and ambitious deep-sea mining projects, but these efforts have faced significant challenges and limitations [12][14][20] Group 2 - Japan's "rare earth anxiety" stems from a past crisis in 2010 when tensions with China led to a drastic reduction in rare earth exports, highlighting the need for supply chain security [10][21] - Despite investing heavily in alternative sources and technologies, Japan's actual dependence on China for critical heavy rare earths remains above 90% [21][23] - The global landscape shows that attempts to decouple from China in the rare earth sector are fraught with difficulties, as other countries, including the U.S., face similar challenges in establishing competitive processing capabilities [23][25] Group 3 - China's dominance in the rare earth market is attributed to a combination of resource endowment, technological advancement, and established industrial scale, creating high barriers for other countries to replicate [25][27] - The comprehensive industrial ecosystem in China, from mining to processing, allows for cost efficiencies that foreign competitors struggle to match due to regulatory and environmental challenges [27][29] - The environmental costs associated with rare earth processing in China have been internalized, affecting the overall cost structure and competitiveness of the industry [29][31]