Japan eyes state takeover of aging plants making critical materials

Supply Chain Japan eyes state takeover of aging plants making critical materials Government would update equipment before returning sites to private sector A single company's facilities can be critical to Japan's broader industrial supply chains in some cases. (Photo by Yuki Nakao) TENSEI TANI November 13, 2026 01:54 JST TOKYO -- The Japanese government is considering a framework under which it could temporarily nationalize privately owned facilities making strategically important products, such as chemicals and castings, that are crucial for economic security. Read Next Materials Rare earth yttrium soars 9-fold in a year amid China curbs International relations Eyeing China, Japan to push for trade transparency at APEC summit Trade EU seeks faster China de-risking with new diversification tool Materials The Pentagon- and Toyota-backed startup trying to cut US reliance on China iron Materials Japan trading house backs Vietnam tungsten supplier that has drawn US investment Supply Chain China's curbs on tungsten used in drill bits squeeze AI supply chain Latest on Supply Chain Supply Chain Taiwan's Foxconn has 'strong confidence' in 2027 due to AI demand Supply Chain 3 workers die at Tata's India iPhone parts factory during maintenance work Supply Chain Integration among ASEAN, China, Japan, South Korea boosted by AI boom Sponsored Content About Sponsored Content This content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.