Corporate Japan's Rare-Earth Warnings Intensify as China Keeps Export Ban in Place

Japanese manufacturers escalated warnings about rare-earth shortages as China's export ban — imposed in January 2026 on dual-use rare-earth materials for Japanese military end-users, in retaliation for PM Takaichi's November 2025 Taiwan remarks — remained in force into July. Chinese customs data showed zero exports to Japan of terbium and dysprosium oxide from November through May and negligible yttrium oxide shipments since December, choking supplies critical to magnet production. Beijing reaffirmed the ban despite a reported US request to lift it. Japan has responded by forming a rare-earth 'trilateral buyers club' with France and Canada and signing a roughly A$1.6 billion supply deal with Australia.