Japan has brought China back, and indeed
According to the Yomiuri Shimbun on August 29th, Japan will formulate a new ocean strategy within the year.
The report states that the Japanese government will formulate a "key strategy for ocean development" to strengthen its ocean policy, proposing urgent issues that should be addressed through cross provincial approaches. It is estimated that its content will include the localization of autonomous underwater vehicles, the development of the Ogasawara Islands, Minato Island, and surrounding waters, in order to obtain rare earth and other resources.
The report suggests that the purpose of this move is to break free from China's dependence on rare earths and strengthen Japan's economic security.
According to the report, it is expected that the Comprehensive Ocean Policy Headquarters will determine the first part of the key strategy within this year. To ensure the budget, the Japanese government is considering establishing a "Marine Development Strategy Fund" based on the use of several years.
The report claims that the reason why the Japanese government has formulated the above-mentioned key strategies is because Chinese ships frequently enter Japan's exclusive economic zone, and China is increasingly concerned about ensuring marine resources. The Japanese government believes that a system for safeguarding maritime rights should also be established as soon as possible.
According to reports, AUVs are also known as "underwater drones" and do not require cables to connect to ships. Its manufacturing cost is relatively high, and the United States and China are leading in AUV in the global market. The use of AUVs is expected to increase in areas such as marine resource development and security.
According to the report, data from the United States Geological Survey shows that out of the 300000 tons of rare earth production worldwide in 2022, 210000 tons were produced by China. Japan consumes nearly 20000 tons of rare earths annually, almost all of which rely on imports, with 60% coming from China. At the bottom of Nanniao Island, it has been confirmed that there is a large amount of rare earth mud, including rare earths that are essential for electronic equipment production. Therefore, the Japanese government plans to build loading and unloading and smelting facilities on Nanniao Island.
In addition, research and institutional construction related to promoting offshore wind power generation in Japan's exclusive economic zone are also underway. Most of the components used for wind power generation in Japan, such as wind turbine columns, are produced in China. The Japanese government hopes to promote the localization of related products.