SINGAPORE – China has cut Japan off from several heavy rare earths and other materials for ⁠at least four months, coinciding with a dispute between the two countries over Taiwan, suggesting Beijing is using its control over critical minerals as diplomatic leverage.

Japan is the largest rare earth magnet maker outside China but like the rest of the world is overwhelmingly dependent on Beijing for imports of certain so-called heavy rare earths ​used in magnet-making, aerospace and defense, as well as gallium, a minor metal vital for chip-making.

Since ‌December, Chinese ‌exports of rare earth minerals like dysprosium, terbium and yttrium oxide, as ​well as specialty metal gallium, to Japan have stopped except for a few tiny shipments of yttrium, Chinese customs data shows.

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