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Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia, comprising four main islands and thousands of smaller ones, with its capital in Tokyo. The country has a population of about 125 million and ranks as the world's third-largest economy by nominal gross domestic product. Japan's economy is highly industrialised and export-oriented, with dominant sectors including automotive manufacturing, electronics, robotics, steel, chemicals and precision machinery. The currency is the yen, and the government operates as a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system. Japan is resource-poor and imports the vast majority of its energy, metals and raw materials, making secure supply chains and trade relationships central to economic policy. Major trading partners include China, the United States, South Korea and countries across South-East Asia. The nation is a member of the Group of Seven, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the World Trade Organization and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. Japan's industrial base is supported by advanced technology, a skilled workforce and a culture of continuous improvement, though it faces demographic headwinds from an ageing population and low birth rate. The country is a leading importer of liquefied natural gas, coal, iron ore and non-ferrous metals, including aluminium, to feed its manufacturing sector. Since the Second World War, Japan has rebuilt into a global economic power, pioneering lean production methods and high-quality consumer goods that have shaped international markets.

Japan News


Rio Tinto Bell Bay aluminium
Aluminium's calm belies lingering supply-chain stress, Reuters column says
14th October 2026 By: Reuters

Iranian missile attacks on Gulf smelters and the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz have knocked out almost 3-million metric tons of aluminium production capacity. Yet, eight months on, the market is... 


Green hydrogen pipeline
India's NTPC seeks overseas buyers for green ammonia, low-carbon fuels
13th October 2026 By: Reuters

India's top power producer NTPC is in talks with potential buyers in Japan, South Korea and Germany for green ammonia and other low-carbon fuels, chairperson Gurdeep Singh said on Tuesday. India... 


Gold bars
India gold demand slows as prices rebound; China emerges from holiday lull
9th October 2026 By: Reuters

Gold demand in India was sluggish this week as prices rebounded, while trading in top consumer China was subdued during the holiday-truncated trading period. In India, domestic gold prices were... 


Cosmo Oil's Chiba refinery
Japan's Iwatani, Cosmo to develop hydrogen supply chain at Chiba refinery
6th October 2026 By: Reuters

Japan's Iwatani Corporation and Cosmo Energy Holdings said on Tuesday they have made a final investment decision to jointly develop a hydrogen supply chain at Cosmo's Chiba refinery near Tokyo,... 


LNG pipeline
Bangladesh's coal turn is a fresh bad sign for LNG exporters
1st October 2026 By: Reuters

Bangladesh should be one of the global LNG industry's success stories, but instead it is a warning sign, a Reuters columnist states. Few countries better fit the profile of a future liquefied... 


US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer
US trade chief to consider trade deal tariff caps in excess capacity probe
30th September 2026 By: Reuters

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Tuesday that the Trump administration will take into consideration tariff caps negotiated in trade deals with countries as it weighs potential new... 


Lithium brines
North American energy storage to drive lithium carbonate demand through 2031
29th September 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

Market research firm Mordor Intelligence expects the global lithium carbonate market to grow from 141-million lithium carbonate-equivalent (LCE) tons in 2026 to 3.93-million LCE tons by 2031,... 


Gold jewellery
India gold demand stays muted as buyers await lower prices; China premiums steady
18th September 2026 By: Reuters

Gold demand in India stayed subdued this week as buyers held back purchases in anticipation of lower prices, while premiums in China remained steady, supported by robust investment demand.... 


Chevron gas infrastructure
Chevron eyes Argentina, Mediterranean for global LNG growth, deal with India
14th September 2026 By: Reuters

Chevron is looking to expand its global gas portfolio from Argentina to the Mediterranean to meet growing demand from buyers concerned about energy security due to the crisis in the Middle East,... 


Yttrium chemical symbol
How obscure yttrium became a global flashpoint
14th September 2026 By: Reuters

If you want an insight into the state of the world right now, it's worth taking a look at yttrium. This obscure member of the rare earths family is going to be high on the agenda when China's... 


Graphite
French tech subsidiaries to investigate graphite, silicon combination for lithium-ion batteries
11th September 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

Canadian industrial technologies developer HPQ Silicon has announced its strategic partner, French technology company Novacium, will work together with a French subsidiary of Japan's Tokai Carbon... 


Yokogawa offices
Japan, Slovenia sign hydrogen energy cooperation memorandum
10th September 2026 By: Reuters

Japan and Slovenia signed a memorandum of cooperation on Thursday to collaborate on hydrogen energy, including building resilient supply chains, advancing technology development and promoting... 


Ulan coal mine in Australia
Global coal demand forecast to rise by 1.2% in 2026 to a record 8.94bn tonnes due to Middle East conflict, IEA says
10th September 2026 By: Reuters

Global coal demand is forecast to rise by 1.2% in 2026 to a record 8.94-billion tonnes due to the Middle East conflict, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Thursday. Disruptions to oil... 


Tungsten
Japan's Mitsubishi Materials to expand tungsten recycling capacity at Akita
9th September 2026 By: Reuters

Mitsubishi Materials said on Wednesday it would invest about 8-billion yen ($52-million) to expand tungsten recycling capacity at its subsidiary Japan New Metals, as Japan seeks supplies of the... 


Rare earths
Aclara forms JV with Japan's JOGMEC to find new rare earth deposits in Brazil
9th September 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

TSX-listed rare earths developer Aclara Resources on September 8 announced a joint venture (JV) with the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (Jogmec) to explore and advance new ionic... 


Rare earth oxides
China rare earth firms halt some US shipments over geopolitical worries, sources say
4th September 2026 By: Reuters

Some Chinese rare earth suppliers are declining to ship to the US for fear of repercussions from Beijing, three sources said, underscoring how access to the materials remains an issue for the US... 


New technology installed at Dunlop Tyres South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal operation
Dunlop completes R1.7bn upgrade of KwaZulu-Natal tyre manufacturing facility
28th August 2026 By: Schalk Burger

Tyre producer Dunlop Tyres South Africa has completed a R1.7-billion investment programme at its uMnambithi (formerly Ladysmith) manufacturing facility, in KwaZulu-Natal. The investment introduced... 


White Mesa Mill, in Utah
US rare earths producer Energy Fuels' terbium meets Japanese magnet maker qualification
19th August 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

TSX-listed, US-based rare earths producer Energy Fuels' terbium oxide has successfully passed all qualifications for use by one of the world's largest manufacturers of permanent magnets, in Japan.... 


Image of critical minerals in hand
Copi critical minerals project, Australia
7th August 2026 By: Sheila Barradas

RZ Resources Limited's Copi project will produce titanium minerals, including rutile, leucoxene and ilmenite, premium zircon and rare-earth elements, including monazite and xenotime.  


El Teniente copper mine
Japanese tech company investigates remote operation feasibility for Codelco's El Teniente mine
6th August 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

Japanese telecommunications and information technology company NTT Docomo Business has launched a study and proof of concept jointly with Chile's State-owned copper miner Codelco to progress remote... 


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pqt: 0.125s - ct: 0.178s - 275pq - 2rq
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