2026-09-03T05:20:53Z https://imrecsjournal.com/journals/index.php/bsscd/oai

oai:ojs.imrecsjournal.com:article/481 2026-09-01T06:58:23Z bsscd:ART driver

Japan’s Geoeconomic Strategy to Secure the Supply of Rare Earth Elements Nugroho, Yusuf Adi Yunita, Primadiana The global energy transition has shifted the strategic dependence of industrialized countries away from fossil fuels toward critical minerals, particularly rare earth elements (REE). Japan, the world's largest REE importer, faces a dilemma because China dominates global REE processing, controlling more than 92% of capacity. This study analyzes how Japan secured its REE supply through geoeconomic policy during 2018-2025, using Blackwill and Harris's (2016) framework of seven geoeconomic instruments. The method employed was qualitative descriptive, with a single case study design and document analysis as the primary data collection technique. The findings show that only the investment policy instrument is explicitly documented during the period studied. This investment policy has been carried out through the state institution Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) across three projects: Lynas Rare Earths (Australia), the Lofdal Project (Namibia), and Caremag SAS (France). This study also finds that Japan's investment model is a variant in which the state converts financial capital into contractual claims over strategic supply to manage structural dependence, rather than using it to project power over the recipient country. In addition, Japan's investment policy provides REE supply-chain options outside China's capacity.Keywords: Geoeconomics, Rare earth elements, Investment policy, JOGMEC, Japan Institute of Multidisciplinary Research and Community Service 2026-09-01 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion application/pdf https://imrecsjournal.com/journals/index.php/bsscd/article/view/481 10.61436/bsscd/v5i3.pp327-344 Bulletin of Social Studies and Community Development; Vol 5, No 3 (2026): Bulletin of Social Studies and Community Development; 327-344 3025-6798 eng https://imrecsjournal.com/journals/index.php/bsscd/article/view/481/189 https://imrecsjournal.com/journals/index.php/bsscd/article/downloadSuppFile/481/326 https://imrecsjournal.com/journals/index.php/bsscd/article/downloadSuppFile/481/388 https://imrecsjournal.com/journals/index.php/bsscd/article/downloadSuppFile/481/389 Copyright (c) 2026 Yusuf Adi Nugroho, Primadiana Yunita https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0