Skip to content
MineralLink

Asia

Japan

Open in the explorerOrganisations (34)Events

Production, refining and reserves

CommodityMetricValueWorld rank · shareSource
CobaltRefinery production 20255,833 t Co content—IEA Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2026 (Critical Minerals Dataset, July 2026)
CopperRefinery production 20251.4 million t Cu content#4 · 5%USGS MCS 2026
NickelRefinery production 2025108,400 t Ni content—IEA Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2026 (Critical Minerals Dataset, July 2026)
GalliumRefinery production 20253,000 kg Ga content#3 · 0.3%USGS MCS 2026
PlatinumRefinery production 202313,200 kg Pt content#7 · 5%USGS Minerals Yearbook 2023 (platinum-group metals, tables-only release), table 6
PalladiumRefinery production 202324,500 kg Pd content#6 · 8%USGS Minerals Yearbook 2023 (platinum-group metals, tables-only release), table 6
Titanium spongeRefinery production 202553,000 t titanium sponge metal#2 · 14%USGS MCS 2026
UraniumResources 20236,600 t U content#43 · 0.1%NEA/IAEA Red Book 2024 (Uranium 2024), Table 1.2a, <USD 260/kgU
BismuthRefinery production 2025500 t Bi (refined metal)#3 · 3%USGS MCS 2026
IndiumRefinery production 202565 t In (refined)#3 · 6%USGS MCS 2026
IndiumReserves 2006100 t In content#5 · 4%USGS MCS 2007
TelluriumRefinery production 202561 t Te content (refined)#3 · 6%USGS MCS 2026
SeleniumRefinery production 2025640 t Se content (refined)#2 · 17%USGS MCS 2026
ArsenicRefinery production 202440 t arsenic trioxide (gross weight)#6 · 0.1%USGS MCS 2026
CadmiumRefinery production 20251,300 t Cd metal#4 · 6%USGS MCS 2026
CadmiumReserves 200610,000 t Cd content#9 · 2%USGS MCS 2007
SulfurRefinery production 20252.7 million t S content#11 · 3%USGS MCS 2026
LimeRefinery production 20255.9 million t lime#6 · 1%USGS MCS 2026
FeldsparMine production 2014100,000 t feldspar—USGS MCS 2015
IodineMine production 20259,000 t I content#2 · 26%USGS MCS 2026
IodineReserves 20254.9 million t I content#1 · 78%USGS MCS 2026
BromineMine production 202520,000 t Br content#4 · 5%USGS MCS 2026
Nitrogen (ammonia)Refinery production 20141.2 million t N content (ammonia)—USGS MCS 2015
DiatomiteMine production 202540,000 t diatomite#13 · 2%USGS MCS 2026
GypsumMine production 20254.3 million t gypsum#12 · 3%USGS MCS 2026
PerliteMine production 2015200,000 t perlite—USGS MCS 2016
Sand and gravel (industrial)Mine production 20232 million t industrial sand and gravel—USGS MCS 2024
Talc and pyrophylliteMine production 2025130,000 t talc and pyrophyllite#14 · 2%USGS MCS 2026
Talc and pyrophylliteReserves 2025100 million t talc and pyrophyllite—USGS MCS 2026
Zeolites (natural)Mine production 2012150,000 t natural zeolites—USGS MCS 2013

Policies and export measures

Policy tracker →

  • 2026-06-17 · incentive

    Amendment of the Economic Security Promotion Act and JBIC Act (Act No. 38 of 2026) on supply-chain resilience

    An amending law promulgated in June 2026 adds support for services essential to the supply of specified critical products and introduces duty-of-effort and cooperation-request provisions to secure stable supply, alongside changes to the Japan Bank for International Cooperation Act. It applies to all specified critical products, including critical minerals, with provisions entering into force in stages.

    Source: Cabinet Office, Government of Japan

  • 2025-10-28 · agreement

    United States–Japan Framework for Securing the Supply of Critical Minerals and Rare Earths through Mining and Processing

    A non-binding framework in which both governments intend to use financing, offtake, permitting acceleration, stockpiling and trade tools to support critical-mineral and rare-earth mining and processing, and to provide financial support to selected projects within six months. It set up a bilateral Rapid Response Group led by the US Energy Secretary and Japan's METI Minister and envisages a complementary stockpiling arrangement and cooperation on scrap and asset-sale reviews.

    Source: The White House

  • 2023-03-28 · agreement

    Japan–US Agreement on Strengthening Critical Minerals Supply Chains

    Japan and the United States signed an agreement covering cobalt, graphite, lithium, manganese and nickel, under which both sides commit not to impose export duties on these minerals, to address non-market policies, share best practices on investment screening, promote resource-efficient approaches and cooperate on labour rights in the supply chain. It entered into force on signature.

    Source: Office of the United States Trade Representative

  • 2022-12-23 · incentive

    Designation of critical minerals as a Specified Critical Product under the Economic Security Promotion Act (Cabinet Order No. 394 of 2022)

    A Cabinet Order under Article 7 of the Economic Security Promotion Act designated eleven specified critical products, including metallic mineral products (critical minerals) and permanent magnets, making supply-assurance plans for them eligible for government grants, low-interest loans and other support. METI's Minerals Division administers the mineral item, with JOGMEC as the funding body.

    Source: Cabinet Office / e-Gov Law Search (Digital Agency), Government of Japan

  • 2022-11-14 · incentive

    JOGMEC Act amendment (Act No. 46 of 2022): equity and guarantee support extended to domestic ore processing and smelting/refining

    An amendment to the JOGMEC Act, in force from 14 November 2022, renamed the agency the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security and widened its mandate. For metals, JOGMEC's equity investment and debt-guarantee functions, previously limited to overseas and offshore projects, were extended to ore dressing and smelting/refining of metallic minerals in Japan.

    Source: e-Gov Law Search (Digital Agency), Government of Japan

Trade in critical minerals

Exports 2024$14 bn

  1. Copper$9.0 bnto China 48%, India 21%, Taiwan 14% · 45 more
  2. Aluminium$980 mto China 31%, Malaysia 31%, South Korea 17% · 38 more
  3. Rare earths$666 mto Philippines 32%, Vietnam 12%, Thailand 10% · 86 more
  4. Nickel$661 mto China 25%, India 17%, United States of America 11% · 51 more
  5. Platinum$511 mto Hong Kong 36%, China 29%, South Korea 10% · 26 more
  6. Titanium sponge$456 mto United States of America 72%, United Kingdom 12%, South Korea 5% · 34 more
  7. Zinc$405 mto India 36%, Thailand 19%, Taiwan 13% · 30 more
  8. Silicon$289 mto Taiwan 29%, South Korea 20%, China 20% · 30 more

and 37 more commodities

Imports 2024$38 bn

  1. Copper$16 bnfrom Chile 35%, Indonesia 14%, Peru 12% · 91 more
  2. Aluminium$5.2 bnfrom United Arab Emirates 19%, Australia 15%, Brazil 7% · 94 more
  3. Nickel$3.2 bnfrom Indonesia 33%, Australia 20%, Philippines 19% · 37 more
  4. Platinum-group metals$1.7 bnfrom South Africa 67%, Germany 12%, United States of America 8% · 15 more
  5. Silicon$1.5 bnfrom China 28%, United States of America 27%, Brazil 10% · 33 more
  6. Platinum$1.5 bnfrom South Africa 79%, United Kingdom 6%, Belgium 3% · 16 more
  7. Palladium$1.4 bnfrom South Africa 40%, Russia 28%, United Kingdom 10% · 15 more
  8. Rare earths$1.1 bnfrom China 33%, Vietnam 30%, Philippines 17% · 42 more

and 38 more commodities

Trade values in current US dollars (ores, concentrates, intermediates, chemicals and refined metal), not prices. * Includes HS codes that also cover other products. Source: CEPII BACI (HS22), Etalab Open Licence 2.0 — details.

Fiscal regime for mining

InstrumentApplies toRateLegal basis
RoyaltyAll mineralsMining products tax (鉱産税), a municipal tax on the business of mining minerals, levied by the municipality where the workings are located. Standard rate 1%; 0.7% where the value of minerals mined at a working in the period is JPY 2 million or less per municipality. Municipalities may exceed the standard rate up to a cap of 1.2% (0.9% in the small-producer case)1%price of the mineral mined (鉱物の価格) (Art. 519)地方税法 (Local Tax Act, Act No. 226 of 1950) · Art. 519-520in force 1950-07-31
Corporate income tax (mining)All mineralsNational corporation tax 23.2% for ordinary domestic corporations; 19% on the first JPY 8 million of income for corporations with capital of JPY 100 million or less (Art. 66(2)). No mining-specific rate. Local corporation tax, inhabitant and enterprise taxes are levied in addition (not read)23.2%各事業年度の所得の金額 (taxable income of each business year)法人税法 (Corporation Tax Act, Act No. 34 of 1965) · Art. 66(1)in force 2018-04-01

Rates and terms as set in the cited law or regulation; agreements with individual projects can differ. Not legal or tax advice.

Deals and financing (1)

  1. 2026-05-28 · Joint venture · signed

    Marubeni Corporation (with JX Advanced Metals and Mitsui Kinzoku as PPC shareholders) → Mitsubishi Materials Corporation · Pan Pacific Copper (copper concentrate purchasing and product sales)

    Marubeni and Mitsubishi Materials signed a definitive agreement to integrate Mitsubishi Materials' copper concentrate purchasing and copper product sales business into Pan Pacific Copper, the JV of JX, Mitsui Kinzoku and Marubeni, in response to deteriorating treatment charges.

    official release

Mines and facilities (16)

Latest news

All news →