According to the Beijing Daily client, on June 29, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun hosted a regular press conference.
Japan Broadcast Association (NHK) reporters asked, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced today that certain Japanese entities are being included on the export control management list. Previously, the Ministry of Commerce stated that these measures would not affect normal trade between China and Japan. Japanese business groups have stated that even in civilian areas, Japanese businesses' purchase of rare earth minerals has been impacted. How does the Ministry of Foreign Affairs view this measure? What is the Chinese side's evaluation of this measure's impact on bilateral normal trade relations?
Guo Jiaqun said that Chinese authorities have issued a statement clarifying China's position. What we want to emphasize is that this move by China is completely justified, reasonable, and legal. The purpose of this move is to firmly curb Japan's 'new type of militarism'.
"We hope that the Japanese side will find its way back, correct its wrongdoings, truly reflect and return to the right track." Guo Jiakun said, that China's actions of adhering to legal procedures for listing have only targeted a few Japanese entities, and the related measures are only targeting dual-use items, which does not affect normal trade between China and Japan. Japanese entities complying with honesty and law need not worry at all."
On June 29th, China expanded its export controls against Japan, announcing new sanctions against 40 Japanese entities. Among them, 20 new Japanese entities were added to the export control list, and another 20 Japanese entities were added to the watchlist.
The 20 Japanese entities listed in the control list, which include research institutions directly under the Japan Defense Agency, are subject to control regarding policy research, equipment development, and technology innovation platforms. On the other hand, with the Mitsubishi Group at the core, a “chain-like coverage” is established for Japan’s largest defense contractors. This coverage also extends to supporting enterprises in industries such as aircraft maintenance, shipbuilding, and precision machining.
This is not the first time China has imposed export controls on Japan. On February 24, 2026, the Ministry of Commerce issued Announcement No. 11 of 2026, listing 20 entities including Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Corporation in the control list. Since January 6 this year, China has prohibited the export of all dual-use items to Japanese military users and for military purposes.
According to data from the General Administration of Customs in China, the aforementioned regulatory measures have had a substantial impact: in May 2026, China's exports of rare earth magnets to Japan decreased by 34.6% month-on-month. The exports were below 200 tons for three consecutive months, with the decline being significantly higher than the 7.7% decrease in overall global exports.
