**SHA and Japan signed a cooperation agreement on the development of rare earth metals**
The White House announced the signing of a declaration by SHA President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on February 28. The agreement was reached on the basis of stable positions of strategic minerals, including rare earth elements, through joint projects in the field of mining and processing.
In the near future, around February 26, Washington and Tokyo will establish a joint venture for the production of critical rare earth metals, with a share capital of 100% in the company's authorized capital. "The goal is to reduce dependence on other suppliers and create a stable infrastructure for the development of domestic resources," - noted in the White House.
The parties agreed on the development of strategic metals in two key areas: - **Official line of defense of mineral resources**, aimed at accelerating the development of projects in Japan and SHA; - **Project for the development of critical minerals in North Texas** (SHA), which will be the first object, realized jointly with Japanese investors.
In the text of the agreement, measures were taken to support the strategic development of the rare earth metals industry, named "Lavsonom". The program was developed to create reserves of rare metals to ensure the independence from geopolitical risks.
