Perhaps something to consider is that Korea and Japan both don't have extensive lithium deposits within their country. Both countries already know what it's lik

Perhaps something to consider is that Korea and Japan both don't have extensive lithium deposits within their country. Both countries already know what it's like to be stuck importing nearly all of their energy (oil). They've both been relatively lucky with the geopolitical climate of the last 50 or so years. I think it's perhaps not unreasonable (once again, looking at a many decade long scale) to look at possible futures and perhaps understand why both countries might be looking to try to eke out some greater degree of independence from both China and America.