🇵🇪 Peru and Japan are significantly strengthening their cooperation in mining and strategic minerals, focusing on supply security, technology transfer, and attracting responsible investments for the global energy transition. This effort is part of a long-term bilateral strategic alliance that has been consolidating since late 2024 and throughout 2025, featuring a joint work agenda and large-scale projects.
Japan, with limited mineral resources, has increased its interest in Peru due to Peru’s abundant mineral reserves, particularly copper, zinc, lithium, and rare earth elements. These minerals are essential for clean technologies, electromobility, renewable energy, and energy storage. Peru aims to leverage Japanese technological expertise to improve its mining sector, raise environmental standards, and strengthen the global critical minerals supply chain.
At the APEC 2024 Summit in Lima, both countries signed a Bilateral Cooperation Roadmap in mining technology and supply chains, projected over ten years. This roadmap includes goals for economic cooperation in mineral procurement, personnel exchange, technological innovation, and ensuring production chain security. A joint declaration is expected in 2025 during the APEC leaders’ summit to formalize a ten-year mining action plan emphasizing sustainability and efficiency.
The cooperation encompasses advanced exploration technology transfer, mineral processing, concentrator plant optimization, and mining traceability, enhancing efficiency and reducing Peru’s mining environmental impact. This creates potential to attract more responsible Japanese investments. Japan has shown interest in lithium projects in Peru, especially in deposits like Falchani and Quilcaya (Puno), currently managed by Canadian company Macusani Yellowcake, with Japanese businesswomen approaching for investment and technology application.
Major Japanese companies with a strong mining presence in Peru include Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Marubeni, Sojitz, Nippon Koei, Itochu, Hitachi, and Sumitomo. They have investments in significant projects such as Antamina, Quellaveco, Cerro Verde, Bayóvar, and Peru LNG. The alliance also contemplates joint work on formalizing small-scale and artisanal mining and environmental protection, including the Amazon region.
Japan is one of Peru’s main export markets for minerals. Notably, Japan is the second most important destination for copper exports (6% of Peru’s total in early 2025), after China (74.2%). Japan is also the second commercial partner for tin exports (14.3%), after the USA, and accounts for 3.7% of lead exports, behind China (81.9%).
Peru’s Energy and Mines Minister Jorge Montero highlighted Japan’s view of Peru as a strategic partner for minerals critical to the global energy transition, especially copper and lithium. He also noted the interest of major Japanese corporations in expanding their investments in Peru. During her official visit to Japan in August 2025, Peruvian President Dina Boluarte invited over 80 Japanese businesspeople to invest in key sectors such as mining, education, defense, agribusiness, and renewable energy. She emphasized the 152 years of diplomatic relations and Peru’s commitment to being a reliable partner and strategic supplier to Japan.
Roque Benavides, CEO of CompañÃa de Minas Buenaventura, underscored Japan’s long-term vision in Peru and the importance of technology transfer to improve the competitiveness of Peruvian mining and attract investments with high sustainability standards.
Japan’s strategy aims to reduce dependence on more unstable or sensitive mineral markets by securing stable supply through alliances with geologically rich and politically stable countries like Peru. The bilateral cooperation also includes supply chain security and conflict prevention related to mining production, a growing concern globally and regionally.
At Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai, the Peruvian pavilion showcased investment opportunities in mining exploration and projects linked to strategic minerals for clean energy and electromobility. The portfolio highlighted projects with sustainable potential and access to renewable energy.
During the XVI Meeting of the Peru-Japan Business Council (CEPEJA) in Tokyo, President Boluarte presented an investment project portfolio in Peru valued at approximately $17.3 billion, emphasizing regulatory reforms to encourage greater foreign investment.
This strengthened Peru-Japan mining cooperation represents significant business implications, including enhanced investment opportunities, technological advancements, and sustainable operational developments in the mining sector. It positions Peru as a strategic supplier in the global transition to clean energy, while offering Japanese companies reliable access to critical minerals and the potential for long-term, responsible investments.
Source(s): https://www.rumbominero.com/peru/noticias/mineria/peru-y-japon-fortalecen-cooperacion-en-mineria/, https://editorialrn.com.ar/japon-y-peru-firman-acuerdo-de-cooperacion-minera-para-asegurar-minerales-criticos-con-tecnologia-japonesa/, https://gestion.pe/economia/japon-busca-ampliar-inversiones-en-el-litio-y-minerales-estrategicos-del-peru-noticia/
Disclaimer: This news article was generated with AI from real sources. AI can make mistakes, check important info.
