S/ Katayama Satsuki, Japanese Finance Minister / At this timing, immediately after China announced its export ban, it was very meaningful that we could frankly exchange views on strengthening the supply chains for critical minerals, an urgent global issue, and reaching a certain level of understanding on the matter.

Japanese Finance Minister Katayama Satsuki made the remarks after attending an international meeting in Washington on January 12.

The event, hosted by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, brought together Group of Seven nations and resource-producing countries.

At her press conference, Katayama said she told fellow participants that the Japanese government has lodged a strong protest with China over its recent ban on exports of dual-use goods to Japan and demanded the withdrawal of the measure.

She said the meeting reached a broad consensus to swiftly reduce reliance on China for rare earths and that countries that took part expressed a strong sense of urgency.