Japan will support Malaysia's rare earth refining with ODA.

The Japanese government will begin providing technical support related to rare earth mining to Malaysia. The plan is to supply geological survey equipment through a Government Development Assistance (ODA) project and advance cooperation on rare-earth refining technologies that prioritize environmental protection. This initiative is intended to help Malaysia, which has abundant rare earth reserves, build a production base and diversify its rare earth procurement channels.

This is the first time that Japan and Malaysia have carried out technical cooperation in the rare earth mining sector through ODA. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) dispatched experts to Malaysia in February in areas such as resource geology and environmental chemistry to promote the start of the project.

At present, technical personnel from both Japan and Malaysia, among others, are coordinating and communicating regarding the project objectives. The Japanese side also plans to invite around 10 technical personnel in fields such as mineral processing from Malaysia to undergo training in Japan.

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