The United States and Japan on Tuesday announced a trade deal on electric vehicle battery minerals that is key to strengthening their battery supply chains and granting Japanese automakers wider access to the new $7,500 U.S. EV tax credit. The swiftly negotiated agreement prohibits the two countries from enacting bilateral export restrictions on the minerals most critical for EV batteries, according to senior Biden administration officials. Those minerals include lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite and manganese. The deal also aims to reduce U.S.-Japanese dependence on China for such materials by requiring ... (full story)