China Weaponized Rare Earths — Japan Weaponized the Backlash. One of Beijing’s Worst Strategic Self-Owns Ever.
This is the story of How China Turned Economic Coercion Into a Total Defeat.
China tried to crush Sanae Takaichi by weaponizing rare earths, export controls, and economic intimidation.
Instead, they turned her into the most powerful political force in Japan.
In this video, I break down one of Beijing’s most brutal strategic self-owns in recent years — how rare-earth coercion backfired, why Japanese voters rallied behind strength, how Japan accelerated decoupling, and why China quietly folded.
This isn’t just about minerals.
It’s about national security, political psychology, and what happens when intimidation replaces intelligence.
Beijing tried to play hardball.
Japan didn’t blink.