Japan Considers Mandatory Collection of EV Batteries

On 29 June, ARECOMS (the Authority for the Regulation and Control of Strategic Mineral Substances' Markets) announced that all cobalt export quotas allocated for the first half of 2026 that remain unused as of 30 June 2026 will be deemed forfeited and reclaimed. These unused volumes will be transferred to ARECOMS' strategic quota pool for reallocation by the regulator. This means that mining companies will no longer be allowed to retain unused export quotas, further strengthening the government's control over the pace of cobalt exports. It remains unclear how much of the overall 2026 export quota has yet to be utilized and which companies will be most significantly affected.

The China Automotive Battery Innovation Alliance and the Zhongguancun Energy Storage Industry Technology Alliance jointly released an initiative to standardize supplier payment practices for power and energy storage battery companies. The initiative calls for material and component acceptance within seven working days, with payment terms for SME suppliers generally starting from delivery or acceptance, and advocates full cash payments to small and medium-sized suppliers. China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said the initiative is an important step in implementing regulations on timely payments to SMEs.