Japan & Korea Expressed Interest in Research and Exploration at Benham Rise

Two of the world’s highly industrialized country, Japan and South Korea have expressed interests in research and exploration in the Eastern portion of the Philippines seabed, the mineral resource-rich Benham Rise. The potentially vast natural resources is an underwater ridge located in the Philippine Sea east of Isabela Province.

Benham Rise

According to an official statement by the country’s Department of Science and Technology (DOST), they are hopeful that it could undertake a vital resourse mapping over Benham Rise, the continental shelf fully-owned by the Philippines.

Carlos Primo David, executive director of the DOST’s Philippine Council on Industry, Energy and Emerging Technologies Research and Development, said Benham Rise has attracted the interest of experts from the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) and Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) to collaborate on conducting the survey.

The Japanese government is best known with their modern technology particularly their underwater survey methods using its ¥6-billion submarine research project, David said. During previous research and explorations in 2011, the Philippine government uncovered polymetallic minerals, hydrothermal deposits, rare earth elements and valuable manganese nodules in the deep sea between Japan and the Philippines.

JAMSTEC also advised the Philippines’ DOST not to buy an expensive remotely operated underwater vehicle for resource mapping, but “just collaborate with us or rent our equipment.” The DOST official Carlos David clarified that “combining a (resource) exploration with scientific research might enable the Philippine government to get assistance from Japan and Korea for free,” David stated.

The Japanese are interested in the Benham Rise because any information they could get from Benham Rise research would help them understand their own areas prone to earthquake. The United Nations and international law recognized Philippine ownership over Benham Rise.

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