TOKYO - Chinese exports to Japan of the rare earth element yttrium, crucial for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, plummeted 98 percent between January and September from a year ago, according to Chinese data, as diplomatic ties remain soured.
The numbers from China's customs come nearly a year since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made remarks about a potential Taiwan contingency that angered Beijing and led it to tighten the screws on Japan through measures such as export restrictions.
Exports of yttrium for the nine-month period stood at just 18 tons compared to 887 tons the year before, raising concerns about supply chain constraints as domestic stock of the element may run out.
China holds the vast majority of the global market share in yttrium, which is also used in manufacturing jet engines and some medical equipment.
But Beijing tightened export controls regarding dual-use items including rare earth elements after Takaichi's comments on Nov. 7 last year.
Global exports of yttrium dropped 26 percent to 934 tons in the January-September period, with the slump to Japan especially stark. Shipments to Germany and South Korea grew, according to the data.
"We're currently managing with our stockpiles, but we're concerned about the future as it is becoming increasingly difficult to procure (yttrium)," an official at a major Japanese electronic parts maker said.
Meanwhile, yttrium exports to the United States almost doubled compared to 2025 when China and the United States were engaged in a trade dispute, although tonnage has failed to return to previous levels. Washington has been urging Beijing to increase exports to both the United States and Japan.
The Financial Times reported on Oct. 20 that Japan's stockpiles of the rare earth would likely only last a few more months, prompting Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara to say during a press conference two days later, "There is no truth (to the view) that our country will run out of yttrium."
The Chinese foreign ministry said its export restrictions were aimed at preventing the remilitarization of Japan and that its position toward maintaining supply chain stability remained unchanged.
