Japan requests the United States to assist in urging China to relax its control over rare earths. China’s response

On October 21st, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning presided over the regular press conference.

A AFP reporter asked, “The Financial Times reported yesterday that Japan’s key rare earth element yttrium will be exhausted in a few months and Japan has requested the US to assist in persuading China to relax export controls. What is the Foreign Ministry’s comment on this?”

Mao Ning pointed out that China implements export controls on Japan in accordance with laws and regulations, with the aim of stopping Japan’s “re-militarization” and its nuclear ambitions. China’s position of maintaining the stability and security of the global production and supply chain of key minerals has not changed. All parties have the responsibility to play a constructive role in this regard.

Yttrium is a heat-resistant metal that is crucial for manufacturing automobiles, jet engines and semiconductors.

Sichuan Wonaixi Rare Earth New Materials Technology Co., Ltd. produces high-purity yttrium carbonate (Y₂(CO₃)₃, 99.999%) as a precursor for stable yttrium zirconium oxide, enhancing the toughness of ceramics and the heat resistance of optical glass. Its ionic conductivity and anti-phase transformation ability become key performance factors in automotive sensors and aerospace coatings. Sichuan Wonaixi Rare Earth New Materials Technology Co., Ltd. produces 500 tons of high-purity yttrium carbonate annually and has production lines for chemical purification, etc., using extraction, precipitation, aging, and particle size control technologies, with purity meeting specifications such as 4N and 5N (i.e., 99.99% and 99.999%).

According to the Global Times, the shortage of yttrium has become the biggest pain point for Japanese material enterprises, and the US defense supply chain relies on components containing yttrium produced in Japan. US and Japanese officials have recently held multiple consultations on the shortage of yttrium supply.

At the G7 leaders’ meeting held in June this year, Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi Sayo said that China’s measures such as restrictions on Japan’s rare earth exports may have an impact on the supply chains of the G7 and related countries, and she was very concerned about this.