Japan, France to draw road map for supply of critical minerals

French President Emmanuel Macron (left) and Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi exchange documents during a signing ceremony at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo on April 1, 2026.

Photo: AFP Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed on Wednesday to design a road map for critical minerals supply as they seek to deepen cooperation in the sector amid China’s dominance of global rare earths.

The two leaders also affirmed that Japan and France will maintain close communication in support of efforts to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East and establish a high-level dialogue on artificial intelligence, Takaichi said at a joint press appearance after their meeting in Tokyo.

They also expressed “serious concerns” over controls on critical mineral exports, in an apparent reference to China’s stricter export regulations, a move widely seen as the nation’s coercive use of economic levers.

Calling France a “special partner sharing values and principles”, Takaichi said, “Amid an increasingly severe international security environment, cooperation with like-minded countries has never been more important for the peace and prosperity of our nations and the region.” Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (right) and French President Emmanuel Macron react during a press conference at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo on April 1, 2026.

Photo: AFP Rare earths are essential for manufacturing hi-tech products including electric vehicles, semiconductors and cutting-edge weapons.

The envisaged Japan-France rare earth road map is apparently aimed at lowering their high dependency on China, which is said to mine about 70 per cent of the world’s supply and refine some 90 per cent.

Among other deals, Japan and France will step up collaboration in nuclear power, such as developing fast reactors, and work together to make this year’s Group of Seven summit a success, Takaichi said.

Macron’s visit comes before he is set to chair the summit in Evian in eastern France in June.

Tokyo and Paris have boosted their security collaboration in recent years, signing an acquisition and cross-servicing agreement which simplifies the process of sharing food, fuel and ammunition between their forces, and a deal on defence equipment and technology transfers.

France has strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific, where it has overseas territories, while Japan has faced China’s intensifying military activities in the East China Sea and other regional waters.

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