METI to Improve Stability of Rare Metal Supply, Recycling

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry steps forward to improve the stable supply of rare metals. METI will offer bill to improve resource usage efficiency for coming regular Diet session after report by basic policy working group of waste prevention and recycling subcommittee of environment committee of industrial structure council. METI tries to increase generation of rare metals from cell phone and improve resource saving for industrial supply chain. The basic policy working group started the meeting in January 2007 to discuss better resource usage system. The working group made the report after hearing from Japan Mining Industry Association, Japan Iron and Steel Federation, Sumitomo Metal Mining, DOWA Eco-System and industry interests. METI tries to improve the environmental action by combining reduce, reuse and recycle action and energy saving and global warming action. The ministry also improves the action to secure rare metals for automobile and electronics and appliances industries under international resource nationalism and surging metal prices. METI targets world highest level of energy saving society. METI tries to visualize materials input for better procurement and design along with better recycling technology from used products.