Huge rare-earth deposits have been discovered on deep-sea floor in the Pacific Ocean. This discovery is expected to serve as a major check on China, who has been able to use its heretofore monopoly on rare-earth resources as a trump card in international diplomacy.
Selected Papers No.16
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- Ocean Newsletter
- A New Seafloor Mineral Deposit: Discovery and Development of "Rare-Earth Element-Rich Mud
Ocean Newsletter
No.276 February 5, 2012
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A New Seafloor Mineral Deposit: Discovery and Development of "Rare-Earth Element-Rich Mud
Yasuhiro KATO
Associate Professor, Department of Systems Innovation, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo
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Formulation and Implementation of Marine Biodiversity Conservation Strategy
Naoki AMAKO
Assistant Director, Biodiversity Policy Division, Nature Conservation Bureau, Ministry of the Environment, Japan
Selected Papers No.16The bounty of the ocean that is indispensable to our daily lives is made possible by marine biodiversity. With conservation and sustainable use as its goals, the Marine Biodiversity Conservation Strategy of Japan indicates the concept of MPAs and provides direction for future measures. Through the review by a panel of experts, it was formulated by the Ministry of the Environment in March of 2011. We hope to base our future cooperation with the relevant ministries on this strategy.
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The Time has Come for Ocean Development Using Quasi-Zenith Satellites: Japan's GPS is on the Move
Norihiro SAKAMOTO
Research Fellow, The Tokyo Foundation, Director, The Institute of Positioning, Navigation and Timing of JapanThe Japanese version of GPS, based on a quasi-zenith satellite system, is on the move. A cabinet decision was taken on September 30, 2011 to develop the quasi-zenith satellite system, by putting four satellites into quasi-zenith orbit by the second half of this decade and then three satellites into geostationary earth orbit(GEO) in future, which would enable sustainable positioning.