Japan, France Vow to Cooperate More in Critical Mineral Supply

   Paris, May 1 (Jiji Press)--Japanese economy minister Ken Saito and his French counterpart, Bruno Le Maire, on Wednesday agreed that the two countries will strengthen cooperation over supply of critical minerals including rare earths.
   Under the agreement, Japan and France will share information on supply chains and mining and smelting technologies and advance collaboration with companies and investors to ensure stable supply of critical minerals.
   It is crucial to build critical mineral supply chains that are resilient, strong and transparent, the two ministers said in a joint statement signed at a meeting in Paris.
   The ministers agreed that Japan and France will promote dialogue involving companies and advance discussions on providing aid to resource-rich countries.
   Critical minerals, used in such products as batteries for electric vehicles, are becoming increasingly important in terms of economic security because only a few countries are able to produce them.

(2024/05/02-10:15)

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