In early February 2026, Japan secured the two most critical components of the AI Age: the raw minerals and the high-end processing power. Within the AI World Society (AIWS) framework, these are seen not just as economic assets, but as the foundational infrastructure required to build a “Human-in-Command” digital society.
1. Resource Sovereignty: Deep-Sea Rare Earth Retrieval
On February 2, 2026, the Japanese vessel Chikyu successfully lifted rare-earth-rich mud from 6,000 meters deep near Minamitori Island.
- The AIWS Connection: AIWS emphasizes Technology Sovereignty. By securing 16 million tonnes of rare earths, Japan ensures that the magnets and components required for AI servers, robotics, and the AIWS Healthcare infrastructure are no longer vulnerable to geopolitical export bans.
- Strategic Impact: This world-first achievement provides the “Physical Foundation” for the AIWS Ecosystem, ensuring that ethical AI development is backed by a stable and independent supply chain.
2. Computational Power: TSMC’s $17 Billion 3nm Upgrade
Simultaneously, Japan and TSMC announced an upgrade to the new Kumamoto facility to produce 3-nanometer (3nm) chips, the most advanced in the world.
- Empowering the AIWS Angel: The AIWS Angel model—designed to serve as a lifelong healthcare and security companion—requires massive, efficient decentralized computing. These 3nm chips provide the energy-efficient “brain power” needed for such advanced AI assistants to operate in real-time.
- Infrastructure for Governance: Under the AIWS Model, the 3nm production line acts as the “Engine Room” for a new Social Contract, where advanced hardware enables the transparent, high-speed data processing required for pluralistic and inclusive governance.
3. Strategic Synthesis: The AIWS Triad
By aligning these two breakthroughs with the AIWS Framework, Japan is essentially completing a “Strategic Triad” for the 21st century:
- Upstream (The Ocean): Rare Earths (The Material Layer).
- Downstream (TSMC): 3nm Semiconductors (The Infrastructure Layer).
- Governance (AIWS): The Ethical & Social Framework (The Intelligence Layer).
A Beacon for the AI Century
As we celebrate the “America at 250” initiative, Japan’s moves offer a blueprint for other nations. It demonstrates that a secure society is built by combining Deep-Sea Resource Discovery with Cutting-Edge Manufacturing, all governed by the AI World Society (AIWS) principles of peace, security, and human dignity.
https://www.reuters.com/science/japan-retrieves-rare-earth-mud-deep-seabed-test-mission-2026-02-02/
