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2011, state agreements were signed between former Japanese Prime Minister, Yoshihiko Noda and his Vietnamese counterpart, PM Nguyen, in which it showed an apparent willingness from Tokyo to supply Vietnam the needed technology, know-how, expertise and capital for nuclear energy operation and use in exchange for its own RE demand. [47]

 

In its diplomatic march down the Pacific in search for RE resources, Japan has also approached Australia for the possibility of importing the precious elements from the natural resources-rich country. According to an article from Yomiuri Shimbun published in August 2011, Sojitz had increased its RE import volume-mark from Mount Weld, Australia from its previous less than 4,000 tons to 9,000 tons in 2013. As compared to the initial goal of meeting from 10 per cent to 20 per cent of the Japanese demands, the new figure will see Japan obtaining a domestic demand meet up of close to 40 per cent. [48] A more important feature to note is that such provision of RE minerals (mainly neodymium and cerium) is made possible through a joint venture with the Australian mining giant, Lynas, in which the Japanese government, through its entity, Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC), is to provide funding to Sojitz in the forms of equity stakes and loans, for securing the RE commercial deal. [49] In the diplomatic front too, the Japanese leaders proactively discussed the RE security issue and sought a stable bilateral cooperation on the matter in every meeting with its Australian counterparts. To date, the most palpable example had been the pledge made by the then Australian foreign minister, Kevin Rudd to his Japanese counterpart at that time, Seiji Maehara that Australia was prepared and committed to supply the previous minerals to Japan [50] for the country’s industrial consumption needs. Given Canberra’s aspiration to become the third largest RE suppliers in the world after China and Russia, [51] there remains much room for deepened and multi-pronged bilateral cooperation in this area between the two governments in the foreseeable future.

 

On the other hand, unlike China which has long established its stature among African countries in terms of minerals exploration and mining, similar Japanese efforts in the world’s largest continent has been relatively a new trend. Though started in 2009, the state-owned JOGMEC’s business deals with its counterparts from Zambia, Namibia and South Africa had been focusing on joint exploration and production of RE-related minerals such as uranium, platinum, and manganese [52] and in which through relevant refinery process, the eventual rare earth deposits would be extracted from these elements. Following the Senkaku fallout with China in September 2010, the then Kan administration began to consider exploring new RE sources in the mineral-laden African continent. As revealed by the then trade vice-minister Nakayama, the Japanese government is keen to replicate the Vietnam model of rare earth supply-development aid approach in the African countries. That will spur Tokyo, apart from extracting RE minerals in Africa, to take more responsibilities in constructing important infrastructure—roads and railways, and power plants—in the vicinity of本论文由英语论文网提供整理，提供论文代写，英语论文代写，代写论文，代写英语论文，代写留学生论文，代写英文论文，留学生论文代写相关核心关键词搜索。