China’s Export Ban to Japan Won’t Affect Goods for Civilian Use, Beijing Says

By Ryosuke Terunuma / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

15:03 JST, January 9, 2026

BEIJING — China’s export ban on dual-use goods to Japan does not affect items for civilian use, a Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesperson said Thursday.

“Civilian-use [goods] will not be affected. Those engaged in trade for ordinary civilian purposes have no need to worry at all,” the spokesperson said at a press conference.

However, Chinese authorities have not clarified the scope of civilian goods not subject to the export ban nor the details of export permit operations, leaving many matters unclear.

The aim of the export ban on dual-use goods that can have both military and civilian applications is “to prevent Japan’s rearmament and nuclear ambitions,” the spokesperson said. “China has always strived to maintain the stability and security of the global supply chain,” he also said.

Concerns are growing among Japanese companies because the export ban could cover rare earths used in products such as automobiles and smartphones.

An editorial published Thursday by the Global Times, which is affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party’s official newspaper, indicated that the ban could extend to civilian-use goods, stating, “The risk of many key items, including rare earth elements, being converted into lethal weapons has increased dramatically.”