Japan Eyes Rare Earth Mining in Greenland

Japan is preparing to send a delegation to Greenland this summer to assess potential rare earth mining opportunities, the Nikkei news daily reported on Sunday. The visit will include representatives from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, trading companies and the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security, who will hold talks with local government officials.

Greenland, an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark located in the Arctic, has attracted significant international attention in recent months. In January, the White House said US President Donald Trump was considering how to acquire the island, sparking alarm among NATO allies in Europe. Negotiations have since moved to the diplomatic level.

Greenland is of interest for its strategic location and potentially rich reserves of rare earths.

(reuters, im)