Japan, Germany focus on critical minerals cooperation

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz agreed to strengthen economic security cooperation and secure critical minerals on Wednesday.

Both leaders committed to promote alternative mineral projects and coordinate through multilateral groups like the Resilient and Inclusive Supply Chain Enhancement Partnership. The two nations plan to align public financial institutions and joint efforts under the G7 framework to bolster recycling, refining, processing, and strategic stockpiling.

Germany has explored adopting Japan's centralized trading-house model to pool buying power for industrial giants like BMW and Rheinmetall.