Nov 29, 2025
Japan has been closed to modern gold exploration since World War II. One accidental drill hole in 1981 revealed Hishikari, the highest-grade tier one gold mine on the planet. Then Japan rewrote its mining act in 2012. That opened the door for foreign exploration for the first time in nearly 70 years. In this breakdown we look at Japan’s forgotten gold belt, the reopening of historic districts, Japan Gold’s decade of work since 2012, and why the majors have quietly moved in. From Hishikari’s 30 to 40 g/t grades to the 3,000 sq km land package, this is one of the most overlooked jurisdictions in the world.