Signs of continental rifting in the southwestern Japanese Island Arc

Abstract

The southwestern margin of the Japan Arc evolved in the geodynamic regime of continental rifting during the Miocene–Pleistocene. This has been verified by broad manifestations of metasomatosis of mantle peridotites that underlie the lithosphere of the Japan Islands and by episodes of deep magmatism (kimberlites and melilitites) in the region. The high enrichment of deep melts in incompatible rare and rare earth elements is partially preserved in melts of regional basalts from smaller depths. In contrast, spreading basalts of the Sea of Japan and subduction basalts from the Nankai trench at the boundary with the Philippine Plate are extremely depleted in rare elements.