(MENAFN) On Tuesday, the United States and Japan formalized a cooperation pact concerning the production and provision of critical and rare-earth minerals.

This agreement comes in the wake of China’s move to tighten export restrictions on rare earths and chip-making tools, a reaction to US President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

The arrangement was finalized during Trump’s visit to Tokyo, where he met Japan’s newly appointed prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, marking their inaugural encounter.

According to the White House, both nations committed to expanding collaborative initiatives deemed “necessary to support domestic industries, including advanced technologies and their respective industrial bases,” while leveraging “economic policy tools and coordinated investment to accelerate the development of diversified, liquid, and fair markets for critical minerals and rare earths.”

The leaders also endorsed a document directing their governments to “take further steps for a new golden age of the ever-growing US-Japan alliance.”

Trump praised Japan as an “ally at the strongest level,” and referred to Takaichi, who assumed office last week, as “one of the greatest prime ministers.”

Meanwhile, Takaichi pledged to fortify bilateral relations, lauding them as “the greatest alliance in the world.”

The US president has consistently expressed interest in obtaining rare-earth minerals from around the globe, aiming to secure both profitable economic ventures and enhanced geopolitical influence.

MENAFN28102025000045017167ID1110258830