---
title: "Japan: actuator supply chain"
description: "Japan mines no rare earths, makes a small share of the world's magnets and most of its precision robot gears. A map of 43 companies' headquarters and plants across rare earths, magnets and motors, gears and bearings, and robot makers, with supply links and sources."
canonical: https://actuatorlist.com/japan
last-updated: 2026-11-03T08:48:14.000Z
---
# Japan: actuator supply chain

Japan mines no rare earths, makes a small share of the world's magnets and most of its precision robot gears. 43 companies, 86 sites and 30 current links (19 supply, the rest investment or partnership), as of November 2026. Interactive map: https://actuatorlist.com/japan. JSON: https://actuatorlist.com/api/v1/countries/JP. MCP: get_country("JP").

Companies are those headquartered in Japan or with a site there; a foreign owner keeps its own country in the HQ column. Revenue is the latest fiscal year converted from local currency (estimate, "~"); gross margin is gross profit over net sales.

## Share of each stage

| Stage | Japan's share | Share of | World leader |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Mining | 0%[^1] (model, 2025) | world rare earth mine output | 🇨🇳 CN 69%[^1] |
| Separation | no public split[^2] | world rare earth separation | 🇨🇳 CN 91%[^3] |
| Magnets | ~5%[^4] (estimate, 2024) | world NdFeB magnet output | 🇨🇳 CN 94%[^3] |
| Gearing | no public split[^5] | world robot reducer market | - |
| Robots | 38%[^6] | world industrial robot production | - |

- Separation: Shin-Etsu separates rare earths at Echizen and plans a heavy rare earth refinery in Fukui; no source gives Japan's share.
- Gearing: Nabtesco alone held an estimated 58% of the world robot reducer market in 2019, and Harmonic Drive Systems and other Japanese makers add more; that is a company share, and no source gives Japan's combined share.

## Policies

- [Grant for Shin-Etsu rare earth refining in Japan](https://actuatorlist.com/policy#measure=jp-espa-shinetsu-refining-2026): subsidy and programme, in force
- [Japan and US critical minerals framework](https://actuatorlist.com/policy#measure=jp-us-minerals-framework-2025): subsidy and programme, in force
- [Grant for Harmonic Drive reducer capacity, later revoked](https://actuatorlist.com/policy#measure=jp-espa-hds-reducers-2023): subsidy and programme, expired
- [Grant for Shin-Etsu magnet recycling](https://actuatorlist.com/policy#measure=jp-espa-shinetsu-recycling-2025): subsidy and programme, in force
- [First permanent magnet grant: Aichi Steel](https://actuatorlist.com/policy#measure=jp-espa-aichi-magnets-2023): subsidy and programme, in force
- [Grant for Nidec Drive Technology reducers](https://actuatorlist.com/policy#measure=jp-espa-nidec-reducers-2023): subsidy and programme, in force
- [Grant for Yaskawa servo capacity](https://actuatorlist.com/policy#measure=jp-espa-yaskawa-servo-2023): subsidy and programme, in force
- [JARE buys A$200 million of Lynas for heavy rare earths](https://actuatorlist.com/policy#measure=jp-jare-lynas-hree-2023): subsidy and programme, in force
- [Magnets, robots and critical minerals named critical products](https://actuatorlist.com/policy#measure=jp-espa-critical-products-2022): subsidy and programme, in force
- [JARE equity for Mt Weld exploration](https://actuatorlist.com/policy#measure=jp-jare-lynas-2022): subsidy and programme, in force
- [JOGMEC and Sojitz back Lynas through JARE](https://actuatorlist.com/policy#measure=jp-jare-lynas-2011): subsidy and programme, in force

All measures with their status history: https://actuatorlist.com/policy.

## Clusters

- **Nagano precision belt** (9 sites): Strain wave gears, servo motors, encoders and SCARA robots in the valleys from Azumino and Suwa to Ueda and Iida. Harmonic Drive Systems, Tamagawa Seiki, Shinano Kenshi, MinebeaMitsumi, Seiko Epson, Sanyo Denki, Nidec.
- **Kitakyushu robotics base** (2 sites): Yaskawa's home: robot and servo motor plants around Kitakyushu. Yaskawa Electric.
- **Chubu automotive belt** (18 sites): Toyota's home region, from Mie to Hamamatsu: magnets, bearings, reducers and robot makers. Nabtesco, Toyota Tsusho, Aichi Steel, Daido Steel, Tamagawa Seiki, JTEKT, Denso Wave, Toyota Motor, Yamaha Motor, Sumitomo Heavy Industries, THK, NTN, Nippon Thompson (IKO), MinebeaMitsumi, Mitsubishi Electric.
- **Kanto HQ cluster** (28 sites): Head offices in Tokyo plus magnet, bearing, pneumatics and robot plants across the plain. Shin-Etsu Chemical, Harmonic Drive Systems, JOGMEC, Sojitz, Japan Australia Rare Earths (JARE), Resonac, Proterial, TDK, Mitsubishi Electric, Oriental Motor, Sanyo Denki, Nabtesco, Sumitomo Heavy Industries, THK, NSK, Nippon Thompson (IKO), Mujin, Kawada Robotics, Honda, SMC, FANUC.

## Companies

| Company | Segment | HQ | Sites in Japan | Revenue (USD) | Gross margin | Listing |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Shin-Etsu Chemical** (`shin-etsu-chemical`) 信越化学工業 | Magnets & motors | 🇯🇵 JP | 3 | ~$16.6-17.8B[^7] (estimate, 2026-03) | - | TYO: 4063 |
| **Nidec** (`nidec`) ニデック | Magnets & motors | 🇯🇵 JP | 3 | ~$17.5-18.7B[^8] (estimate, 2026-03) | - | TYO: 6594 |
| **Harmonic Drive Systems** (`harmonic-drive-systems`) ハーモニック・ドライブ・システムズ | Gears, screws & bearings | 🇯🇵 JP | 3 | ~$384.2-410.7M[^9] (estimate, 2026-03) | 30%[^9] (model, 2026-03) | TYO: 6324 |
| **Nabtesco** (`nabtesco`) ナブテスコ | Gears, screws & bearings | 🇯🇵 JP | 2 | ~$1.99-2.12B[^10] (estimate, 2025-12) | 31%[^10] (model, 2025-12) | TYO: 6268 |
| **FANUC** (`fanuc`) ファナック | Robot & actuator makers | 🇯🇵 JP | 4 | ~$5.53-5.92B[^11] (estimate, 2026-03) | 38%[^12] (model, 2026-03) | TYO: 6954 |
| **Yaskawa Electric** (`yaskawa`) 安川電機 | Robot & actuator makers | 🇯🇵 JP | 2 | ~$3.5-3.74B[^13] (estimate, 2026-02) | 35%[^14] (model, 2026-02) | TYO: 6506 |
| **JOGMEC** (`jogmec`) エネルギー・金属鉱物資源機構 | Rare earth mining & refining | 🇯🇵 JP | 1 | - | - | state |
| **Sojitz** (`sojitz`) 双日 | Rare earth mining & refining | 🇯🇵 JP | 1 | - | - | TYO: 2768 |
| **Japan Australia Rare Earths (JARE)** (`jare`) 日豪レアアース | Rare earth mining & refining | 🇯🇵 JP | 1 | - | - | subsidiary |
| **Toyota Tsusho** (`toyota-tsusho`) 豊田通商 | Rare earth mining & refining | 🇯🇵 JP | 1 | - | - | TYO: 8015 |
| **Santoku** (`santoku`) 三徳 | Rare earth mining & refining | 🇯🇵 JP | 1 | - | - | - |
| **Iwatani** (`iwatani`) 岩谷産業 | Rare earth mining & refining | 🇯🇵 JP | 1 | - | - | TYO: 8088 |
| **Resonac** (`resonac`) レゾナック | Rare earth mining & refining | 🇯🇵 JP | 2 | - | - | TYO: 4004 |
| **Proterial** (`proterial`) プロテリアル | Magnets & motors | 🇯🇵 JP | 2 | - | - | private |
| **TDK** (`tdk`) | Magnets & motors | 🇯🇵 JP | 1 | ~$16.2-17.3B[^15] (estimate, 2026-03) | - | TYO: 6762 |
| **Daido Steel** (`daido-steel`) 大同特殊鋼 | Magnets & motors | 🇯🇵 JP | 2 | - | - | TYO: 5471 |
| **Mitsubishi Electric** (`mitsubishi-electric`) 三菱電機 | Magnets & motors | 🇯🇵 JP | 2 | - | - | TYO: 6503 |
| **Tamagawa Seiki** (`tamagawa-seiki`) 多摩川精機 | Magnets & motors | 🇯🇵 JP | 2 | - | - | private |
| **Oriental Motor** (`oriental-motor`) オリエンタルモーター | Magnets & motors | 🇯🇵 JP | 1 | - | - | private |
| **Sanyo Denki** (`sanyo-denki`) 山洋電気 | Magnets & motors | 🇯🇵 JP | 2 | ~$692.6-740.3M[^16] (estimate, 2026-03) | 28%[^16] (model, 2026-03) | TYO: 6516 |
| **Shinano Kenshi** (`shinano-kenshi`) シナノケンシ | Magnets & motors | 🇯🇵 JP | 1 | - | - | private |
| **Aichi Steel** (`aichi-steel`) 愛知製鋼 | Magnets & motors | 🇯🇵 JP | 1 | - | - | TYO: 5482 |
| **Sumitomo Heavy Industries** (`sumitomo-heavy`) 住友重機械工業 | Gears, screws & bearings | 🇯🇵 JP | 2 | - | - | TYO: 6302 |
| **THK** (`thk`) | Gears, screws & bearings | 🇯🇵 JP | 6 | ~$1.55-1.66B[^17] (estimate, 2025-12) | 29%[^18] (model, 2025-12) | TYO: 6481 |
| **NSK** (`nsk`) 日本精工 | Gears, screws & bearings | 🇯🇵 JP | 3 | ~$5.88-6.29B[^19] (estimate, 2026-03) | 21%[^20][^19] (model, 2026-03) | TYO: 6471 |
| **NTN** (`ntn`) | Gears, screws & bearings | 🇯🇵 JP | 4 | ~$5.33-5.7B[^21] (estimate, 2026-03) | 18%[^21] (model, 2026-03) | TYO: 6472 |
| **JTEKT** (`jtekt`) ジェイテクト | Gears, screws & bearings | 🇯🇵 JP | 2 | - | - | TYO: 6473 |
| **Nippon Thompson (IKO)** (`nippon-thompson`) 日本トムソン | Gears, screws & bearings | 🇯🇵 JP | 3 | ~$406.7-434.7M[^22] (estimate, 2026-03) | 32%[^22] (model, 2026-03) | TYO: 6480 |
| **MinebeaMitsumi** (`minebea-mitsumi`) ミネベアミツミ | Gears, screws & bearings | 🇯🇵 JP | 2 | - | - | TYO: 6479 |
| **Tsubakimoto Chain** (`tsubakimoto-chain`) 椿本チエイン | Gears, screws & bearings | 🇯🇵 JP | 2 | - | - | TYO: 6371 |
| **Kawasaki Heavy Industries** (`kawasaki-heavy`) 川崎重工業 | Robot & actuator makers | 🇯🇵 JP | 2 | - | - | TYO: 7012 |
| **Denso Wave** (`denso-wave`) デンソーウェーブ | Robot & actuator makers | 🇯🇵 JP | 1 | - | - | subsidiary |
| **Seiko Epson** (`seiko-epson`) セイコーエプソン | Robot & actuator makers | 🇯🇵 JP | 2 | - | - | TYO: 6724 |
| **Nachi-Fujikoshi** (`nachi-fujikoshi`) 不二越 | Robot & actuator makers | 🇯🇵 JP | 2 | - | - | TYO: 6474 |
| **Mujin** (`mujin`) | Robot & actuator makers | 🇯🇵 JP | 1 | - | - | private |
| **Kawada Robotics** (`kawada-robotics`) カワダロボティクス | Robot & actuator makers | 🇯🇵 JP | 1 | - | - | subsidiary |
| **Honda** (`honda`) 本田技研工業 | Robot & actuator makers | 🇯🇵 JP | 2 | - | - | TYO: 7267 |
| **Toyota Motor** (`toyota-motor`) トヨタ自動車 | Robot & actuator makers | 🇯🇵 JP | 1 | - | - | TYO: 7203 |
| **Yamaha Motor** (`yamaha-motor`) ヤマハ発動機 | Robot & actuator makers | 🇯🇵 JP | 2 | - | - | TYO: 7272 |
| **OMRON** (`omron`) オムロン | Robot & actuator makers | 🇯🇵 JP | 2 | - | - | TYO: 6645 |
| **SMC** (`smc`) | Robot & actuator makers | 🇯🇵 JP | 5 | - | - | TYO: 6273 |
| **IAI** (`iai`) アイエイアイ | Robot & actuator makers | 🇯🇵 JP | 1 | - | - | private |
| **Shibaura Machine** (`shibaura-machine`) 芝浦機械 | Robot & actuator makers | 🇯🇵 JP | 1 | - | - | TYO: 6104 |

## Sites

Pins marked "city" are the city centre, "region" the prefecture; "site" is the plant itself.

| Site | Company | Prefecture | Kind | Makes | Status | Lat, lon (pin) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Shin-Etsu Chemical headquarters | Shin-Etsu Chemical | Tokyo | hq | - | operating | 35.686, 139.766 (city) | [^23] |
| Echizen rare earth and magnet plant | Shin-Etsu Chemical | Fukui | plant | Rare earth metals, Sintered NdFeB magnets | operating | 35.900, 136.170 (city) | [^2] |
| Nidec headquarters | Nidec | Kyoto | hq | - | operating | 34.990, 135.760 (city) | [^24] |
| Harmonic Drive Systems headquarters | Harmonic Drive Systems | Tokyo | hq | - | operating | 35.610, 139.730 (city) | [^25] |
| Hotaka plant | Harmonic Drive Systems | Nagano | plant | Strain wave gears | operating | 36.340, 137.890 (city) | [^26] |
| Tsu precision reduction gear plant | Nabtesco | Mie | plant | RV reducers | operating | 34.720, 136.510 (city) | [^5] |
| FANUC headquarters | FANUC | Yamanashi | hq | - | operating | 35.460, 138.860 (city) | [^27] |
| Yaskawa Electric headquarters | Yaskawa Electric | Fukuoka | hq | - | operating | 33.880, 130.880 (city) | [^28] |
| JOGMEC headquarters | JOGMEC | Tokyo | hq | - | operating | 35.668, 139.749 (city) | [^29] |
| Sojitz headquarters | Sojitz | Tokyo | hq | - | operating | 35.672, 139.757 (city) | [^30] |
| JARE headquarters | Japan Australia Rare Earths (JARE) | Tokyo | hq | - | operating | 35.671, 139.756 (city) | [^31] |
| Toyota Tsusho headquarters | Toyota Tsusho | Aichi | hq | - | operating | 35.171, 136.882 (city) | [^32] |
| Santoku headquarters and alloy works | Santoku | Hyogo | hq | Rare earth metals, Strip-cast NdFeB alloys | operating | 34.715, 135.260 (city) | [^33] |
| Iwatani headquarters | Iwatani | Osaka | hq | - | operating | 34.684, 135.503 (city) | [^34] |
| Resonac headquarters | Resonac | Tokyo | hq | - | operating | 35.664, 139.757 (city) | [^35] |
| Aichi Steel headquarters | Aichi Steel | Aichi | hq | - | operating | 35.020, 136.900 (city) | [^36] |
| Proterial headquarters | Proterial | Tokyo | hq | - | operating | 35.655, 139.796 (city) | [^37] |
| TDK headquarters | TDK | Tokyo | hq | - | operating | 35.684, 139.774 (city) | [^38] |
| Daido Steel headquarters | Daido Steel | Aichi | hq | - | operating | 35.178, 136.920 (city) | [^39] |
| Mitsubishi Electric headquarters | Mitsubishi Electric | Tokyo | hq | - | operating | 35.681, 139.765 (city) | [^40] |
| Tamagawa Seiki headquarters | Tamagawa Seiki | Nagano | hq | - | operating | 35.515, 137.820 (city) | [^41] |
| Oriental Motor headquarters | Oriental Motor | Tokyo | hq | - | operating | 35.708, 139.777 (city) | [^42] |
| Sanyo Denki headquarters | Sanyo Denki | Tokyo | hq | - | operating | 35.728, 139.730 (city) | [^43] |
| Shinano Kenshi headquarters and motor works | Shinano Kenshi | Nagano | hq | Stepper motors, Brushless DC motors | operating | 36.330, 138.250 (city) | [^44] |
| Nabtesco headquarters | Nabtesco | Tokyo | hq | - | operating | 35.684, 139.744 (city) | [^45] |
| Sumitomo Heavy Industries headquarters | Sumitomo Heavy Industries | Tokyo | hq | - | operating | 35.620, 139.728 (city) | [^46] |
| THK headquarters | THK | Tokyo | hq | - | operating | 35.642, 139.748 (city) | [^47] |
| NSK headquarters | NSK | Tokyo | hq | - | operating | 35.622, 139.733 (city) | [^48] |
| NTN headquarters | NTN | Osaka | hq | - | operating | 34.686, 135.490 (city) | [^49] |
| JTEKT headquarters | JTEKT | Aichi | hq | - | operating | 34.989, 137.002 (city) | [^50] |
| Nippon Thompson headquarters | Nippon Thompson (IKO) | Tokyo | hq | - | operating | 35.637, 139.738 (city) | [^51] |
| MinebeaMitsumi headquarters and Karuizawa plant | MinebeaMitsumi | Nagano | hq | Miniature ball bearings | operating | 36.326, 138.510 (city) | [^52] |
| Tsubakimoto Chain headquarters | Tsubakimoto Chain | Osaka | hq | - | operating | 34.693, 135.494 (city) | [^53] |
| Kawasaki Heavy Industries headquarters | Kawasaki Heavy Industries | Hyogo | hq | - | operating | 34.678, 135.188 (city) | [^54] |
| Denso Wave headquarters and robot works | Denso Wave | Aichi | hq | Industrial robots | operating | 34.930, 136.920 (city) | [^55] |
| Seiko Epson headquarters | Seiko Epson | Nagano | hq | - | operating | 36.040, 138.115 (city) | [^56] |
| Nachi-Fujikoshi headquarters | Nachi-Fujikoshi | Toyama | hq | - | operating | 36.703, 137.229 (city) | [^57] |
| Mujin headquarters | Mujin | Tokyo | hq | - | operating | 35.645, 139.810 (city) | [^58] |
| Kawada Robotics headquarters | Kawada Robotics | Tokyo | hq | - | operating | 35.750, 139.737 (city) | [^59] |
| Honda headquarters | Honda | Tokyo | hq | - | operating | 35.672, 139.723 (city) | [^60] |
| Toyota Motor headquarters | Toyota Motor | Aichi | hq | - | operating | 35.084, 137.156 (city) | [^61] |
| Yamaha Motor headquarters | Yamaha Motor | Shizuoka | hq | - | operating | 34.718, 137.851 (city) | [^62] |
| OMRON headquarters | OMRON | Kyoto | hq | - | operating | 34.990, 135.750 (city) | [^63] |
| SMC headquarters | SMC | Tokyo | hq | - | operating | 35.699, 139.772 (city) | [^64] |
| IAI headquarters and actuator works | IAI | Shizuoka | hq | Electric actuators, SCARA robots | operating | 35.015, 138.490 (city) | [^65] |
| Shibaura Machine headquarters | Shibaura Machine | Shizuoka | hq | - | operating | 35.095, 138.860 (city) | [^66] |
| Ariake plant | Harmonic Drive Systems | Nagano | plant | Strain wave gears, Servo actuators | operating | 36.370, 137.860 (city) | [^25] |
| Nagoya Works (Obu) | Sumitomo Heavy Industries | Aichi | plant | Cyclo reducers, Precision reducers | operating | 35.012, 136.963 (city) | [^46] |
| Kofu plant | THK | Yamanashi | plant | Precision ball screws | operating, opened 1977[^47] | 35.662, 138.568 (city) | [^47] |
| Gifu plant | THK | Gifu | plant | LM guides, Actuators | operating, opened 1984[^47] | 35.423, 136.761 (region) | [^47] |
| Mie plant | THK | Mie | plant | Cross roller rings | operating, opened 1985[^47] | 34.578, 136.527 (region) | [^47] |
| Yamaguchi plant (mother factory) | THK | Yamaguchi | plant | Large and medium LM guides | operating, opened 1985[^47] | 34.186, 131.471 (region) | [^47] |
| Yamagata plant | THK | Yamagata | plant | LM guides, Ball screws, Actuators | operating | 38.240, 140.363 (region) | [^67] |
| Fujisawa plant | NSK | Kanagawa | plant | Rolling bearings | operating | 35.339, 139.490 (city) | [^48] |
| Ishibe plant | NSK | Shiga | plant | Rolling bearings | operating | 35.000, 136.130 (city) | [^48] |
| Kuwana works | NTN | Mie | plant | Rolling bearings | operating | 35.062, 136.684 (city) | [^49] |
| Iwata works | NTN | Shizuoka | plant | Rolling bearings, Constant velocity joints | operating | 34.740, 137.860 (city) | [^49] |
| Okayama works | NTN | Okayama | plant | Rolling bearings | operating | 34.745, 134.190 (city) | [^49] |
| Kokubu plant | JTEKT | Osaka | plant | Koyo bearings | operating | 34.565, 135.640 (city) | [^50] |
| Gifu works | Nippon Thompson (IKO) | Gifu | plant | Needle roller bearings, Linear motion rolling guides | operating | 35.550, 136.920 (region) | [^51] |
| Kamakura works | Nippon Thompson (IKO) | Kanagawa | plant | Linear motion products | operating | 35.320, 139.550 (city) | [^51] |
| Hamamatsu plant | MinebeaMitsumi | Shizuoka | plant | Motors | operating | 34.710, 137.730 (city) | [^52] |
| Kyotanabe plant | Tsubakimoto Chain | Kyoto | plant | Reducers, Linear actuators | operating | 34.814, 135.768 (city) | [^53] |
| Heavy rare earth refinery (planned) | Shin-Etsu Chemical | Fukui | refinery | Dysprosium, Terbium, Yttrium | announced | 35.950, 136.200 (region) | [^2] |
| Chichibu plant | Resonac | Saitama | plant | Rare earth magnet alloys | operating | 35.990, 139.085 (city) | [^68] |
| Kumagaya works | Proterial | Saitama | plant | NEOMAX sintered NdFeB magnets | operating | 36.147, 139.388 (city) | [^37] |
| Daido Electronics Nakatsugawa plant | Daido Steel | Gifu | plant | Hot-deformed NdFeB magnets | operating | 35.488, 137.501 (city) | [^69] |
| Nagoya Works | Mitsubishi Electric | Aichi | plant | Servo motors, Industrial robots, Controllers | operating | 35.183, 136.930 (city) | [^40] |
| Hachinohe works | Tamagawa Seiki | Aomori | plant | Motors, Sensors | operating | 40.512, 141.488 (city) | [^41] |
| Ueda works | Sanyo Denki | Nagano | plant | Servo motors, Stepping motors | operating | 36.402, 138.249 (city) | [^43] |
| Nidec Drive Technology, Nagaokakyo | Nidec | Kyoto | plant | Precision reducers | operating | 34.926, 135.696 (city) | [^24] |
| Nidec Instruments, Shimosuwa | Nidec | Nagano | plant | Industrial robots, Motors | operating | 36.070, 138.080 (city) | [^24] |
| Mibu factories | FANUC | Tochigi | plant | Robots, Robot controllers, Laser oscillators | operating | 36.427, 139.804 (city) | [^70] |
| Tsukuba factories (Chikusei) | FANUC | Ibaraki | plant | Robots, Robodrills | operating | 36.307, 139.983 (city) | [^70] |
| Hayato factory (Kirishima) | FANUC | Kagoshima | plant | Sensors for servo motors | operating | 31.740, 130.760 (city) | [^70] |
| Yukuhashi plant | Yaskawa Electric | Fukuoka | plant | Servo motors | operating | 33.729, 130.980 (city) | [^28] |
| Akashi works | Kawasaki Heavy Industries | Hyogo | plant | Industrial robots | operating | 34.649, 134.997 (city) | [^54] |
| Toyoshina plant (Azumino) | Seiko Epson | Nagano | plant | Industrial robots | operating | 36.297, 137.905 (city) | [^56] |
| Toyama works | Nachi-Fujikoshi | Toyama | plant | Industrial robots, Bearings | operating | 36.720, 137.260 (city) | [^57] |
| Honda R&D, Wako | Honda | Saitama | rnd | Humanoid robot research (ASIMO) | operating | 35.780, 139.606 (city) | [^60] |
| Robotics works, Hamamatsu | Yamaha Motor | Shizuoka | plant | Industrial robots, Single-axis actuators | operating | 34.800, 137.750 (city) | [^62] |
| Kusatsu factory | OMRON | Shiga | plant | Automation controllers | operating | 35.020, 135.960 (city) | [^63] |
| Soka factory | SMC | Saitama | plant | Pneumatic cylinders, Electric actuators | operating | 35.825, 139.805 (city) | [^64] |
| Tsukuba factory | SMC | Ibaraki | plant | Pneumatic cylinders, Electric actuators | operating | 36.080, 140.110 (city) | [^64] |
| Tono factory | SMC | Iwate | plant | Pneumatic cylinders, Electric actuators | operating | 39.330, 141.530 (city) | [^64] |
| Kamaishi factory | SMC | Iwate | plant | Pneumatic cylinders, Electric actuators | operating | 39.276, 141.885 (city) | [^64] |

## Links

Seller (or investor) first. Kind: supply means parts or materials change hands; investment means equity or loans; partnership means joint research or a product integration. Links to companies abroad continue on those countries' pages once they are live.

| From | To | Kind | What | Confidence | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nabtesco (JP) | FANUC (JP) | supply | RV precision reduction gears | reported | [^71] |
| Nabtesco (JP) | Yaskawa Electric (JP) | supply | RV precision reduction gears | reported | [^71] |
| Lynas Rare Earths (AU) | Japan Australia Rare Earths (JARE) (JP) | supply | NdPr oxide (firm 5,000 t a year) and heavy rare earth oxides. Agreement to 2038: up to 75% of Lynas heavy rare earth output is offered to Japan, with a US$110/kg NdPr floor. | reported | [^72][^73] |
| Japan Australia Rare Earths (JARE) (JP) | Lynas Rare Earths (AU) | investment | Equity and loans. About A$200 million added in 2023 for heavy rare earth supply. | reported | [^31] |
| JOGMEC (JP) | Japan Australia Rare Earths (JARE) (JP) | investment | Equity and loans (co-owner with Sojitz) | reported | [^31] |
| Sojitz (JP) | Japan Australia Rare Earths (JARE) (JP) | investment | Equity and loans (co-owner with JOGMEC) | reported | [^31] |
| Lynas Rare Earths (AU) | Sojitz (JP) | supply | Light and heavy rare earths sold in Japan. Sojitz has distributed Lynas light rare earths in Japan since 2011 and began importing its heavy rare earths in October 2025. | reported | [^74][^72] |
| Japan Australia Rare Earths (JARE) (JP) | Shin-Etsu Chemical (JP) | supply | Lynas rare earth oxides bought on its behalf. SMM describes JARE as the buying agent for Shin-Etsu, Proterial and TDK; the companies have not confirmed volumes. | estimated | [^73] |
| Japan Australia Rare Earths (JARE) (JP) | Proterial (JP) | supply | Lynas rare earth oxides bought on its behalf. SMM describes JARE as the buying agent for Shin-Etsu, Proterial and TDK; the companies have not confirmed volumes. | estimated | [^73] |
| Japan Australia Rare Earths (JARE) (JP) | TDK (JP) | supply | Lynas rare earth oxides bought on its behalf. SMM describes JARE as the buying agent for Shin-Etsu, Proterial and TDK; the companies have not confirmed volumes. | estimated | [^73] |
| Caremag (FR) | Iwatani (JP) | supply | Dysprosium and terbium oxides (about half of output). Long-term offtake; deliveries expected from 2027. | reported | [^75] |
| JOGMEC (JP) | Caremag (FR) | investment | Equity through Japan France Rare Earths | reported | [^76][^75] |
| Iwatani (JP) | Caremag (FR) | investment | Equity through Japan France Rare Earths | reported | [^75] |
| IREL (India) (IN) | Toyota Tsusho (JP) | supply | Rare earth feed for Toyotsu Rare Earths India. Under a 2012 India-Japan agreement; India asked IREL to halt exports to Japan in June 2025. | reported | [^77] |
| Resonac (JP) | TDK (JP) | supply | Rare earth magnet alloys. TDK took over Showa Denko's magnet alloy R&D while Showa Denko (now Resonac) kept producing the alloys at Chichibu. | estimated | [^68] |
| Neo Performance Materials (CA) | Daido Steel (JP) | supply | Magnequench powder for hot-deformed NdFeB magnets | reported | [^78][^79] |
| Daido Steel (JP) | Honda (JP) | supply | Hot-deformed NdFeB magnets free of heavy rare earths, for hybrid motors. Made by Daido Electronics at Nakatsugawa since 2016. | reported | [^69] |
| Noveon Magnetics (US) | Nidec (JP) | supply | Sintered NdFeB magnets made in the US (five-year offtake). Signed in February 2025 with Nidec Motor Corporation; potential volume above 1,000 t. | reported | [^80] |
| Tamagawa Seiki (JP) | Toyota Motor (JP) | supply | Torque servo modules for the T-HR3 humanoid (co-developed) | reported | [^81] |
| Nidec (JP) | Toyota Motor (JP) | supply | Torque servo modules for the T-HR3 humanoid (Nidec Copal Electronics, co-developed) | reported | [^81] |
| Nabtesco (JP) | Kawasaki Heavy Industries (JP) | supply | RV precision reduction gears | reported | [^82] |
| Nabtesco (JP) | KUKA (DE) | supply | RV precision reduction gears | reported | [^82] |
| Nabtesco (JP) | ABB Robotics (CH) | supply | RV precision reduction gears | reported | [^82] |
| Techman Robot (TW) | OMRON (JP) | supply | TM-series collaborative robot arms sold under the OMRON brand. Alliance since 2018; OMRON agreed to take about 10% of Techman in 2021. | reported | [^83] |
| Toyota Motor (JP) | Boston Dynamics (US) | partnership | Large behaviour models for Atlas (Toyota Research Institute). A joint research partnership since October 2024, not a parts supply. | reported | [^84] |
| Yaskawa Electric (JP) | Mujin (JP) | partnership | Robot arms driven by MujinController in Mujin systems | reported | [^85][^86] |
| FANUC (JP) | Mujin (JP) | partnership | Robot arms driven by MujinController in Mujin systems | reported | [^86] |
| Kawasaki Heavy Industries (JP) | Mujin (JP) | partnership | Robot arms driven by MujinController in Mujin systems | reported | [^85] |
| Mitsubishi Electric (JP) | Mujin (JP) | partnership | Robot arms driven by MujinController in Mujin systems | reported | [^85] |
| Nachi-Fujikoshi (JP) | Mujin (JP) | partnership | Robot arms driven by MujinController in Mujin systems | reported | [^85] |

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