ScienceHybrid vessel to speed up search for mineral resources in seabed near remote islandMinamitorishima, Japan's easternmost territory, is a focal point of efforts to find rare earths and other mineral resources in the seabed near the country. (Japan Meteorological Agency)RYO MATSUURAJune 3, 2026 02:01 JSTTOKYO -- A Japanese marine research agency plans to develop by fiscal 2028 a more efficient autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) to look for such seabed resources as rare-earth elements in the quest for a stable supply.