Japan is gearing up for a groundbreaking deep-sea mining operation near Minamitorishima, aiming to extract rare earth minerals—critical for everything from smartphones to electric vehicles—from the ocean floor. This bold move is part of the country’s strategy to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers, but it’s sparking serious concerns about the environmental toll of disturbing deep-sea ecosystems.

Editor’s Note: Rare earths are the unsung heroes of modern tech, but digging them up has always been messy. Japan’s push to mine them from the deep ocean could shake up global supply chains—but it also risks harming marine life we barely understand. It’s a classic clash between green tech’s promises and its unintended consequences.