本文旨在探討中日釣魚臺主權爭議背後，中國以稀土禁運為武器對日本 施加外交壓力，以及日本採取反制措施的外交衝突事件。藉此個案研究，凸 顯出中國挾其經貿優勢以施壓經貿對手國的「非正式經濟制裁」模式，以及 日本成功地反制中國施壓的經驗教訓。由於日本具有稀土高度依存中國的危 機意識，並未雨綢繆地研擬確保稀土穩定供應對策，當中國發動稀土禁運措 施時，日本能夠迅速對應「稀土震撼」，並且以中國禁運措施違反WTO 規範 以及中國加盟WTO 的承諾，與歐美國家聯手向WTO 提起訴訟，最終迫使 中國修正其管制稀土政策。

In this paper, we analyze China’s export restrictions on rare earth elements and Japan’s responses after the Diaoyu Islands dispute in 2010. We consider the rare earths trade dispute between China and Japan as a case study, where China pressured Japan by its informal economic sanctions and Japan demonstrated an effective counter-attack. Japan was cautious about its dependence on China’s rare earths and previously prepared strategies for their stable supply. When China embargoed rare earths, the Japanese government and companies immediately put their strategies into practice; meanwhile, Japan cooperated with other countries to sue China as its restrictions had violated WTO rules. These measures successfully forced China to amend its export limitations.