Series: "Japan's Vision for Becoming a New Resource Superpower Through Process Innovation" — Part 1
"Japan is a country with no natural resources" — that's what we've always been taught. But what if three technologies were commercialized simultaneously: stable extraction of marine resources, mass production of metallic titanium, and mass production of artificial diamonds? What would happen?
The short answer: Japan could become a completely new kind of "resource superpower" — one that holds the world economy by its heart.
This series unpacks that vision across five installments.
A Surprising Fact First: The Raw Materials Are "Ordinary Elements"
At the root of this vision lies an important fact that tends to get overlooked: neither diamond nor titanium uses a rare raw material.
Carbon (C): An Abundant Element on Earth and Throughout the Universe
The raw material for artificial diamonds is carbon — an extraordinarily common element found everywhere: the breath we exhale (CO₂), pencil lead, coal, living organisms. There is virtually no risk of it running out on Earth.
In other words, "diamonds are expensive because they're rare" isn't about the material being rare — it's simply that crystals formed by chance deep inside the Earth were rare. Once you have the technology to mass-produce them artificially, the raw material cost approaches nearly zero.
Titanium (Ti): The "9th Most Abundant" Metal
You might think "isn't titanium a rare metal?" — but that's a widespread misconception. Titanium ranks 9th among metals in crustal abundance, boasting availability second only to iron and aluminum. Concerns about resource depletion are almost nonexistent.
So why is it expensive? The answer lies in refining costs. Titanium bonds very readily with oxygen, and the current Kroll process requires complex steps at high temperatures, under vacuum, and in an inert gas atmosphere — all of which drive up the price.
In short — both titanium and diamond suffer not from "insufficient material" but from "expensive production methods." If process innovation (a revolution in manufacturing methods) occurs, there is enormous room for prices to fall dramatically.
This is the very core of this series' title: "Becoming a New Resource Superpower Through Process Innovation." Resources exist both in the Earth and within technology itself. The only thing missing is the technology and resolve to convert them into something usable.
Why a "New Kind" of Resource Superpower?
Traditional resource powers like Saudi Arabia or Australia operate on a "dig it up and sell it as-is" model. What Japan can aim for instead is a "process superpower" that maximizes resource value through technological prowess.
| Category | Traditional Resource Superpower | What Japan Could Become |
|---|---|---|
| Main exports | Crude oil & ore (unprocessed) | High-purity rare metals, titanium alloys, high-performance materials |
| Source of strength | Reserves (geological luck) | Extraction, refining & synthesis technology (intellectual property) |
| Influence on other nations | Price manipulation via supply volume | Control over the "materials" supply for cutting-edge industries |
| Weakness | Wild swings in resource prices | Technology leakage & imitation |
The idea, in essence, is to use technology to create a situation where "you can't build the latest smartphones, EVs, or aircraft without going through Japan." In geopolitical terms, this is called a "chokepoint state."
The Revolution Sparked by Three Technologies
① Marine Resources: Self-Sufficiency in Rare Metals and Energy
Japan holds the world's 6th largest EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone).
- Rare-earth mud (around Minamitorishima): Believed to contain high concentrations of rare earths essential for high-tech products and EVs — especially heavy rare earths (dysprosium, terbium, etc.) — representing a path away from dependence on China
- Manganese nodules: A 2024 survey confirmed a dense deposit of approximately 230 million tonnes around Minamitorishima, expected to serve as a source of cobalt and nickel indispensable for EV batteries
- Methane hydrate: A domestic energy resource known as "burning ice" — a trump card for eliminating Japan's greatest security vulnerability: dependence on the Middle East for energy
[Latest Developments] 2026: The World's First Test Finally Launches
This vision is no longer a pipe dream. In January 2026, the world's first attempt of its kind became reality.
- Mining system connection test (January–February 2026): A consortium led by JAMSTEC deployed the deep-sea drilling vessel Chikyu to conduct a rare-earth mud mining system connection test at approximately 6,000 meters depth in the Minamitorishima EEZ. In the early hours of February 1, 2026, the first successful lifting of rare-earth mud was achieved — a world-first feat of pumping sediment from 6,000 meters below the sea surface.
- Consortium assembled: The industry-government-academia hub, the "Rare-Earth Mud and Manganese Nodule Development Promotion Consortium," held its 11th annual activity report meeting at the University of Tokyo's Hongo Campus on December 15, 2025, with participation from more than 30 companies, government agencies, and universities representing Japan's best.
- Japan-U.S. joint development MOU signed: On March 19, 2026, at a Japan-U.S. summit in Washington, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and President Trump signed a memorandum of cooperation on rare-earth development in the waters around Minamitorishima, with a working group established to strengthen critical mineral supply chains. This project has been elevated beyond mere resource development into a symbolic initiative for economic security within the Japan-U.S. alliance.
- Full-scale demonstration in 2027: A full-scale demonstration test confirming a recovery capacity of approximately 350 tonnes per day is planned for February 2027, with the installation of a processing facility on Minamitorishima also scheduled for around the same time.
What was once "maybe someday possible" has reached the stage of "it's already being lifted."
② Mass Production of Metallic Titanium: A Replacement for Iron and Aluminum
As mentioned, titanium is a metal abundant in the Earth's crust. The problem is the high cost of refining via the Kroll process. If it could be mass-produced at prices comparable to iron — structural materials for automobiles, buildings, bridges, and ships would shift to titanium all at once, making Japan — which has no iron ore — the world's leading supplier of the highest-quality structural materials.
③ Artificial Diamonds: A Game Changer for the Semiconductor Industry
Beyond their value as gemstones, their value for industrial use (especially semiconductors) is incalculable. Diamond outperforms silicon in thermal conductivity and dielectric breakdown field strength. If it can be mass-produced cheaply, Japan could potentially monopolize the next-generation device market known as "diamond semiconductors."
Topics Covered in This Series
Each installment digs deeper into its respective topic.
- Part 1 (this article): Overview — Can Japan become a new kind of resource superpower?
- Part 2: The future diamond semiconductors will change — smartphones, EVs, and quantum computers
- Part 3: The barriers to mass-producing artificial diamonds — the "too hard" dilemma and applications beyond semiconductors
- Part 4: The energy revolution — high-temperature gas reactors, supercritical geothermal, and perovskite
- Part 5: Defend and profit — economic security and the strategy of "winning on technology without losing on business"
Three Walls Standing in the Way
It's not all rosy. There are real barriers to clear.
- Cost competitiveness: Even if it's technically feasible, if "digging it out the old-fashioned way" from overseas mines is cheaper, the market will go there
- Risk of resource price collapse: Oversupply cuts your own profit margins too — a double-edged sword
- Environmental impact: Ecosystem effects of deep-sea mining, and the enormous electricity consumption of refining
And above all, realizing all of this requires massive amounts of energy. As long as Japan remains a country with "high electricity costs," no matter how advanced the technology, factories will keep fleeing overseas — how to overcome this critical vulnerability will be the theme of the latter half of this series.
Next Time
Part 2 focuses on "diamond semiconductors" — the most impactful of the three pillars.
What this technology, called the "ultimate semiconductor," brings is not merely improved performance. A world where smartphones don't get hot. A world where EVs charge in minutes. And a quantum computer that fits on your desk — let's look at what that future actually looks like.
→ Next: [The Future Diamond Semiconductors Will Change]