China’s influence and market power in the supply of critical raw materials has been the subject of much discussion this year. While Germany, for example, is still fine-tuning a China strategy and talking about resilient supply chains, Japan yesterday (Tuesday) classified nearly a dozen technologies and raw materials as “critical materials” that must be sufficiently available even in times of crisis.
As reported by the website Japan Today, among others, the list ranges from batteries and rare earths to semiconductors and fertilizers. Among other things, the Japanese government would help companies acquire mining stakes abroad to put the supply of key minerals on a broader footing, according to the Nikkei newspaper (paywall). Help would also be given in building up stocks of raw materials.
Photo: iStock/Mykola Pokhodzhay
