German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says he hopes to discuss ways of securing stable supplies of rare minerals, when he meets Japanese officials in Tokyo this weekend.
In a speech in Berlin on Thursday, Sholz said that it is precisely in the area of raw-materials security that Germany seeks exchange with partners worldwide. He added that is the reason why that topic is at the top of the agenda for the government consultations.
Scholz will be accompanied by six cabinet members. It will be the first time for the group to meet their Japanese counterparts at an official level.
A senior German official said the government is interested in Japan's policy of reducing its reliance on specific countries for its resources.
Dependence on Russian energy has become a major issue in Germany following the invasion of Ukraine.