Japan shows interest in Extremadura’s tungsten

Almoharín, September 24, 2025 – Japan has taken another step in its strategy to secure access to critical minerals, showing particular interest in the tungsten deposit in Extremadura, the largest outside of China and owned by Iberian Resources Spain. On Tuesday in Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Ken Saitō welcomed representatives of the Spanish company. The meeting was organized with the support of the European Commission and included the participation of Stéphane Séjourné, Executive Vice-President for Industrial Strategy of the EU institution.

📌 Refer to the official statements on the Japanese Government website and in leading international outlets:

Official statement from the Government of Japan

Press statement on Japan–EU cooperation

This initiative reflects growing concern over global dependency on China, which currently accounts for nearly 85% of tungsten production. Alongside the high-level talks, discussions were also held with Japanese companies to evaluate potential partnerships and explore cooperation models aimed at securing mid-term supply of this critical resource.

The Extremadura mining project, however, remains under administrative review by the regional government, a process that has been ongoing for almost three years. Once approved and operational, the mine is expected to generate more than 500 jobs, strengthen the local economy, and reinforce Spain’s role in the European supply chain for strategic raw materials.

The Tokyo meeting underscores the mounting international efforts to reduce reliance on China and highlights the pivotal role that Extremadura could play in reshaping the global landscape of critical minerals.