Friday, February 20, 2026-Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi — fresh from a decisive parliamentary reappointment after her party’s landslide election win — has signaled that deepening cooperation with the United States will be a key focus of her second term.
At a recent press conference in Tokyo, Takaichi emphasized that economic security, including the development of rare earth minerals and strategic supply chains, will be central to upcoming talks with Donald Trump in Washington next month. The move reflects heightened concern in Tokyo about maintaining secure access to essential materials amid global competition and geopolitical tension.
Rare earth elements are critical for cutting‑edge technologies, including electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, and defense hardware. Japan’s push to cooperate more closely with the United States on sourcing and processing these minerals comes as tensions with China rise over trade, regional security, and Beijing’s dominant position in global rare earth production. Tokyo hopes that joint projects will reduce reliance on China, diversify supply chains, and build resilient industrial partnerships with Western allies.
Takaichi’s broader agenda also includes bolstering Japan’s military capabilities, expanding government spending, and pursuing conservative domestic priorities, made possible by her party’s supermajority in the lower house.
But it is her economic security push — particularly her outreach to the U.S. on rare earth cooperation — that is likely to have immediate implications for global tech and defense supply networks. The coming summit in Washington could set the stage for substantive new agreements on critical materials and joint industrial investment.
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