UK–Japan Critical Minerals Strategic Dialogue and All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) Meeting – 20 October 2026, Westminster, London
On Tuesday 20 October, the UK Government, in partnership with the Critical Minerals
Association (UK), hosted the UK–Japan Critical Minerals Strategic Dialogue at 1 Birdcage Walk in London, followed by a meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Critical Minerals at the House of Lords. Together, the two events brought together representatives from UK and Japanese industry, government, Parliament, research and investment organisations.
The meetings formed part of a wider programme of UK–Japan engagement during London
Metal Exchange (LME) Week, focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation across critical
minerals supply chains, with a particular emphasis on rare earths and rare earth permanent
magnets (REPMs).
The Strategic Dialogue provided an opportunity to explore commercial partnerships,
investment opportunities, research and innovation, and the development of more secure,
resilient and diversified critical minerals supply chains for both the UK and Japan. The
subsequent APPG meeting built on these discussions, providing a parliamentary forum to
highlight UK Government support, opportunities for investment and the importance of
strengthening bilateral partnerships for economic security and industrial development.
UK–Japan Critical Minerals Strategic Dialogue
The forum opened with speeches and presentations from Oliver Richards and Grace Humphries of the Department for Business,
Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST), Julian Hetherington of the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC UK), and Martyn Cherrington of Innovate UK
(IUK), outlining the UK's industrial capabilities, market opportunities and potential pathways for closer collaboration with Japanese partners.
Representatives from Japanese industry, including Randy Ahuja of Proterial and Kazuya Sato of Mitsui & Co., provided perspectives on Japan's industrial priorities, strategic supply chain requirements and opportunities for investment and commercial partnerships.
The programme also included presentations from UK critical minerals companies, including
Alexander Palkovsky of Palkovsky Group, Mike Hogan of European Metal Recycling (EMR), and Nick Pople of Northern Lithium, showcasing their capabilities across different parts of the critical minerals value chain and opportunities for collaboration with Japanese industry.
Oliver Richards, Head of Critical Minerals and Mining (International), BIST, providing remarks
on the UK Government’s approach to international cooperation on critical mineral
supply chains.
The presentations were followed by a facilitated discussion chaired by Jeff Townsend, Co-founder of the Critical Minerals Association (UK), bringing participants together to explore
further opportunities for collaboration and consider the commercial, technical and
investment requirements for developing stronger UK–Japan supply chains.
Discussions focused on the strategic importance of connecting complementary UK and Japanese industrial capabilities, supporting domestic processing and recycling, and developing commercially viable partnerships to strengthen supply chain resilience.
APPG for Critical Minerals: UK–Japan Cooperation
Following the Strategic Dialogue, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Critical
Minerals hosted a meeting at the House of Lords, bringing together UK parliamentarians,
government representatives, Japanese industry leaders, public finance institutions and UK
critical minerals companies.
The parliamentary meeting provided an opportunity to build on the morning's industry
discussions, with a greater focus on UK Government support, economic security, investment
and strengthening bilateral partnerships.
The meeting opened with remarks from Perran Moon MP, Officer of the APPG for Critical
Minerals, who highlighted the importance of bilateral partnerships and opportunities for
closer industrial cooperation with Japan.
Taka Mogi, representing the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) and Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), highlighted the importance of trusted international partnerships in addressing growing supply chain vulnerabilities. He referenced existing UK–Japan cooperation on frontier technologies and economic security, alongside the role of JOGMEC in strengthening Japan's critical minerals supply chains.
Blair McDougall MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and UK Minister responsible for critical minerals, outlined the UK Government's commitment to strengthening domestic industrial capabilities and securing critical minerals supply chains. He highlighted government support for rare earth permanent magnet manufacturing, research and development, skills, and strategic projects including Tungsten West's Hemerdon mine in Devon. The Minister also emphasised the importance of long-term investment certainty and deeper UK–Japan industrial collaboration.Providing a Japanese industry perspective, Natalia Rudenko, Department General Manager at Sumitomo Corporation, highlighted the risks associated with the concentration of global rare earth supply chains, particularly in processing, refining and permanent magnet manufacturing. She emphasised the need to develop capabilities beyond mineral extraction, alongside the importance of permitting, access to energy, private investment and predictable policy frameworks.
James Whiteside, Director of Investments at the National Wealth Fund, outlined the role of public finance in supporting strategically important UK industries. He highlighted the Fund's engagement with Japanese institutions, including JOGMEC and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), and its investments in UK critical minerals projects such as Tungsten West and Cornish Metals' South Crofty tin mine.
Maria Chepurnaya, Circular Economy Lead at Nissan Automotive Europe, highlighted Nissan's significant UK manufacturing presence and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at BIST, Blair McDougall MP, providing remarks on UK Government support for the UK’s critical minerals sector importance of secure critical minerals supplies for the automotive sector. She emphasised the need for diversified supply chains, government-backed investment and closer UK–Japan collaboration across research, innovation and advanced manufacturing.
The meeting concluded with a group discussion facilitated by Baroness Northover, Co-Chair of the APPG for Critical Minerals, exploring opportunities and challenges associated with
strengthening critical minerals supply chains.
Discussions covered the importance of political and regulatory certainty, community support
for mining projects, opportunities to expand domestic recycling capabilities, and the need to align critical minerals investment with long-term industrial demand and end-use applications. In her closing remarks, Baroness Northover highlighted the importance of critical minerals to national resilience and the opportunities for closer international cooperation.
Strengthening UK–Japan Critical Minerals Cooperation
Together, the Strategic Dialogue and APPG meeting highlighted the importance of connecting industry, government, finance and research institutions to strengthen UK–Japan cooperation across critical minerals supply chains.
The two sessions reinforced the complementary strengths of the UK and Japan and the
opportunities to translate shared strategic priorities into practical commercial partnerships,
investment and industrial development.
The Critical Minerals Association (UK) was delighted to support the UK Government in
convening the Strategic Dialogue and, as Secretariat to the APPG for Critical Minerals, facilitate further parliamentary engagement with Japanese partners.
CMA UK looks forward to continuing this collaboration and supporting the development of
secure, resilient and diversified critical minerals supply chains for both countries.
Article by Elliott Trickey, Government Affairs Manager, Critical Minerals Association (UK)
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