Recycling rare metals from urban mines: Japan and ASEAN foster cooperation

TOKYO (ANN/THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN) – Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) announced on Tuesday their joint commitment to collaborate in the effective utilisation of discarded electronic devices, which encompass valuable copper and rare metals.

Under this partnership, Japan will contribute its technological expertise to extract and recycle metals from these devices. The overarching goal is to establish a resource circulation system across Southeast Asian nations, thereby enhancing resource diversity for Japan’s suppliers.

Japan’s Senior Vice Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry Shinichi Nakatani attended the Japan-ASEAN Economic Ministers’ meeting held in Indonesia on Tuesday and agreed on an action plan with the ASEAN side, including the establishment of a circular economy initiative.

Used electronic devices containing copper and other metals are called “urban mines” in reference to the mines from which the metals are originally taken.

Japan has the technology to recover and recycle these metals. Insufficient recycling technology in some Southeast Asian countries, where the use of electronic devices is expected to increase, has given rise to concerns about environmental pollution caused by the disposal of electronic equipment.

Japan plans to promote recycling technologies and policies through the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia.

Japan will send experts from Japanese companies to offer training on the recovery of copper and other metals from PCs and smartphones.