Japan Gold Granted Prospecting Rights at its Ikutahara Project, Japan
TSX-V: JG
Japan Gold Corp.
Suite 650 – 669 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC V6C 0B4 Canada
Phone: +1 778-725-1491
www.japangold.com
NEWS RELEASE
Japan Gold Granted Prospecting Rights at its Ikutahara Project, Japan
May 18, 2017– Vancouver, BC - Japan Gold Corp. (TSX-V: JG) (OTCQB: JGLDF) (“Japan Gold”
or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that 23 of its 56 prospecting rights license applications over
the Ikutahara Project in Northern Hokkaido, Japan, have now been granted as Prospecting Rights by the
Japanese Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry (“METI”).
The 19,114 hectare Ikutahara Project comprises a total of 56 prospecting rights license applications
covering 16 historic gold mines and workings. Twenty three applications, covering 8,033 ha, including
the high priority Akebono target, have now been grant ed to the Company as Prospecting Rights, see
Figure 1.
Granting of Prospecting Rights authorizes the Company to commence more advanced exploration
methods, including drilling. Detailed mapping and geochemical sampling completed at the Ikutahara
Project in 2016 identified high priority targets for further testing. Detailed drill plans will now be lodged
to prepare drilling permits on high-priority targets. The Company’s first drill program will commence at
the Akebono target immediately upon receipt of the permits.
John Proust, Chairman and CEO of Japan Gold, commented, “The granting of Prospecting Rights at the
Company’s most advanced project is a key milestone for Japan Gold and its shareholders. We are very
pleased to be granted our second set of Prospec ting Rights in Japan and look forward to receiving our
drilling permits to further test high-priority targets at Ikutahara.”
The remaining 33 applications at the Ikutahara Project have been accepted by METI , authorizing the
Company to continue an active surface exploration program while the applications are further processed.
It is expected that another block of applications covering the Ryuo, Kitano- o, Ikutahara, Showa and
Chitose mines will be granted as Prospecting Rights later this year.
Akebono Target
Akebono is one of the sixteen historic mines and workings reported within the Ikutahara Project area that
were mostly mined between the early 1920’s to the government imposed closure of gold mines in 1943.
A review of the extensive government geological database showed highly encouraging sample results
from an underground exploration development on the Akebono vein with spectacular high gold and
silver grades including: 1.2 m @ 446 g/t Au and 376 g/t Ag (refer to news release February 2017:
http://japangold.com/completes-2016-field-program/). Surface mapping and sampling completed late
last year by the Company indicates the main northeast trending Akebono vein is up to 4- m wide with
600 m open ended strike-length traced from the alignment of workings, sporadic vein outcrops, subcrops
and vein float. Other veins up to 30-cm wide were mapped with E-W trends reflecting the potential of a
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larger complex vein system that requires further definition and show that the Akebono target has exciting
exploration potential.
Other Target Areas
Nine other historic mines lie within the granted licenses some of which had prospecting and exploration
work programs carried out on them late last year, these i nclude the Saroma, Taiho and Taihoku mines.
Detailed mapping and surface sampling has already commenced this season to better define these areas
of mineralization for drill targeting. Detailed surface work will also focus on the other significant targets
that lie within the application areas still under review by METI. Targets here include the high-grade Ryuo
mine area (news release February 9, 2017: http://japangold.com/completes-2016-field-program/); the
Kitano-o mine reported to have produced 96,450 ounces of gold from gold- bearing eluvium associated
with sinter deposits and sub- sinter epithermal veins; and the Ikutahara, Showa and Chitose mine area s,
see Figure 1.
On behalf of the Board of Japan Gold Corp.
“John Proust”
Chairman & CEO
About Japan Gold Corp.
Japan Gold Corp. is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused solely on gold and copper -gold
exploration in Japan. The Company’s portfolio consists of 53,218 hectares over eleven separate projects
on the three main islands of Japan, Hokkaido, Honshu and Kyushu. Seven projects cover areas with
known gold occurrences and a history of mining, and are prospective for high- grade epithermal gold
mineralization. Four of the projects, in southern Hokkaido and northern Honshu, are located over gold-
bearing lithocaps, which may indicate the presence of porphyry mineralization, a deposit style yet to be
identified in Japan. The Company has lodged a tot al of 160 prospecting right license applications over
the project portfolio. Thirty-two applications have been granted as Prospecting Rights and the remaining
128 have been accepted for further review. Japan Gold’s leadership team has decades of resource industry
and business experience, and the Company has recruited geologists and technical advisors with
experience exploring and operating in Japan. More information is available at www.japangold.com or by
email at [email protected].
Japan Gold Contacts
John Proust
Chairman & CEO
Phone: 778-725-1491
Email: [email protected]
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Cautionary Note
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as such term is defined in the
policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this
release.
This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to expected or anticipated future events
and anticipated results that are forward- looking in nature and, as a result, are subject to certain risks
and uncertainties, such as general economic, market and business conditions, competition f or qualified
staff, the regulatory process and actions, technical issues, new legislation, uncertainties resulting from
potential delays or changes in plans, uncertainties resulting from working in a new political jurisdiction,
uncertainties regarding the results of exploration, uncertainties regarding the timing and granting of
prospecting rights, uncertainties regarding the Company’s ability to execute and implement future plans,
and the occurrence of unexpected events. Actual results achieved may vary from the information provided
herein as a result of numerous known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors.
The technical information in this news release has been reviewed by Japan Gold’s President & Chief
Operating Officer, Dr. Mike Andrews, PhD, FAusIMM, who is a Qualified Person as defined by National
Instrument 43-101.
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Figure 1, Ikutahara Project Simplified Geology and Prospecting Applications Status.