Corporate Japan sounds alarm on rare earths scarcity, highlighting global supply chain vulnerabilities
Original framing: “Corporate Japan’s warnings over rare earths get louder as China keeps the spigot closed” — The Japan Times
The current rare earths crisis echoes colonial-era resource extraction patterns, where powerful nations controlled mineral wealth in the Global South. The 20th-century dominance of oil and the 21st-century shift to rare earths reveal a continuity in how resource control shapes global power dynamics.
The rare earths crisis is not just a supply chain issue but a systemic problem rooted in historical patterns of resource extraction and global economic dependency.
By integrating Indigenous knowledge, scientific innovation, and cross-cultural perspectives, we can move toward a more sustainable and equitable model. Japan's current warnings should be seen as a call to action for global cooperation, not a signal of economic vulnerability. The path forward requires not only technological solutions but also a reimagining of how we value and govern natural resources.