Japan Confirms Rare Earths in Deep-Sea Mud

Jul 26, 2026 | News On Japan

TOKYO - Multiple rare earth elements essential for high-tech products have been confirmed in mud extracted from the deep seabed off Minamitorishima, Japan's easternmost island.

The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology said analysis of about 50 tons of mud collected in February 2026 by the deep-sea scientific drilling vessel Chikyu found several rare and highly valuable rare earth elements.

The materials included yttrium and dysprosium, which are used in magnets for electric vehicle drive motors and other advanced technologies.

Japan currently relies heavily on China for rare earth supplies, raising expectations that the offshore deposits could support domestic production.

The agency plans to conduct a full-scale mining trial in the same area for about one month starting in February 2027.

Typhoon No. 31 Forecast to Approach Japan's Pacific Islands

Typhoon No. 31 (In-fa) has intensified into a very strong storm over the western Pacific, with the Japan Meteorological Agency reporting at 3:45 a.m. on October 27 that the typhoon was nearly stationary near the Marshall Islands, carrying maximum sustained winds of 45 meters per second and gusts reaching 60 meters per second, as forecasts point to a possible approach toward Japan's Ogasawara Islands on October 31.

Japan Faces Further Travel Disruption as Storm Moves East

Travel disruption continued into Tuesday, October 27, as Japan began recovering from heavy rain and rough seas caused by the remnants of Typhoon No. 30, with ferry cancellations confirmed in Nagasaki Prefecture and railway operators monitoring the effects of overnight rainfall in central and eastern Japan.

Controversial Penalty Decision Ends Tokyo High School Soccer Match

A controversial penalty shootout decision during the Tokyo qualifiers for Japan's National High School Soccer Championship on October 24 has sparked debate after a team that believed it had secured victory was forced to continue playing and eventually lost, raising questions about whether a hole in the goal net contributed to an incorrect ruling.

Kanagawa Maglev Station Platform Unveiled for First Time

The underground platform of the planned Kanagawa Prefecture Station on Japan's Chuo Shinkansen maglev line was opened to the public for the first time on October 24, offering visitors a rare glimpse of the high-speed railway project under construction in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, with demand for the tour exceeding available places by approximately 12 times.

Japan's Terra Drone Supplies Weapons to Ukraine as Russia Warns of Retaliation

Japanese drone manufacturer Terra Drone has delivered interceptor drones to Ukraine's Ministry of Defense for the first time, prompting Russia to threaten retaliatory measures on October 21, as Japan considers expanding domestic drone production and strengthening its coastal defenses through thousands of unmanned aircraft.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Sci-Tech NEWS

Why Phobos? Japan Targets Tiny Moon Over Mars

Japan has chosen a small, irregularly shaped moon orbiting Mars rather than the planet itself for its latest space exploration mission, taking advantage of Phobos' extremely weak gravity and lack of atmosphere to make collecting extraterrestrial samples and returning them to Earth far easier and less expensive, while potentially unlocking secrets about the history of Mars and the origins of water and organic materials in the solar system.

H3 Rocket Successfully Launches Mars Moon Probe

Japan's H3 rocket successfully launched the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture on the morning of October 20th, placing the probe into its planned orbit in the first stage of a mission to collect samples from one of Mars' moons and return them to Earth.

JR West Unveils Humanoid Robots

JR West has unveiled multifunctional railway maintenance machinery, including a heavy-duty single-arm robot and a mass-produced humanoid robot, as part of efforts to address labor shortages and reduce workplace accidents in railway maintenance operations.

Subaru Unveils Advanced Driver Assistance System

Subaru unveiled experimental vehicles equipped with a new driver assistance system on October 18, introducing technology that can automatically guide a vehicle to a safe roadside location when the driver becomes incapacitated, with plans to introduce the system in production models by the late 2020s.

H3 Rocket on Mission to Collect Rocks From Mars Moon

Japan will launch its H3 rocket No. 10 from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture at 4:41 a.m. on October 20, carrying a spacecraft designed to collect rocks and sand from Phobos, one of Mars' two moons, and return them to Earth in what would be the world's first successful mission of its kind.

CEATEC 2026 Opens With Latest AI Cybersecurity

One of Japan's largest digital technology exhibitions, CEATEC 2026, opened in Tokyo on October 13, drawing attention to advances in artificial intelligence designed to combat cyberattacks and improve rescue operations at disaster sites, with 821 companies and organizations showcasing their latest innovations over four days.

Why Homeowners Prefer Using Online Portals to Find a Plumber on Plumber.com

Finding a reliable plumber can be a daunting task for homeowners, especially when emergencies arise and quick action is required. Many are turning to online portals like Plumber.com for their plumbing needs.

Damage to Tunnel Boring Machine Halts Tokyo Maglev Work

Construction of an underground tunnel for Japan's Linear Chuo Shinkansen in Tokyo's Shinagawa Ward is expected to remain suspended for at least another six months after damage was discovered in several components of a large tunnel boring machine, according to Central Japan Railway (JR Central).

< 2 3 4 5 >