Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi shakes hands with Prime Minister Mark Carney at the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation Economic Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea, on Nov. 1.The Associated Press
Yamanouchi Kanji is Japan’s ambassador to Canada.
Prime Minister Mark Carney will visit Japan March 6 to 7. As the international community confronts epoch-making changes, the significance of this visit cannot be overstated. It will serve not only as a milestone in Japan-Canada relations, but also illuminate our medium- to long-term strategic direction.
In recent years, the pace of development in bilateral relations has been remarkable.
Regarding security, the Agreement on the Protection of Classified Information entered into force in January, responding to the growing need to exchange sensitive information among trusted partners.
In the same month, I, as Ambassador, signed the Japan-Canada Agreement concerning the Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology with Canadian Minister of National Defence David McGuinty.
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I look forward to further strengthening co-operation in the defence industrial sector, including around resilient and reliable global defence supply chains. In September, another historic first was realized when Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-15 fighter aircraft visited Canada, marking a new step forward in defence co-operation. Cyber domain co-operation is also advancing. Amid the current geopolitical environment, I am confident that the upcoming meeting will elevate collaboration in these new areas.
Turning to economic relations, in June, 2025, as the LNG Canada project in British Columbia commenced operations, the first full-scale export of Canadian LNG to destinations other than the United States occurred. With an annual production capacity of 14 million tonnes, it is the largest LNG project in Canada and a game-changer for energy security, not only for Japan and the Indo-Pacific region, but also for Canada itself. Selected as a “major project” by the Carney government, LNG Canada Phase 2, with a planned annual capacity of 28 million tonnes, will become the world’s second-largest LNG facility and a symbolic pillar of the Canadian government’s vision of Canada as an “energy superpower.”
Beyond LNG, collaboration is advancing, including in AI and other high-tech sectors, and the hospitality sector, with new investment announced in January. In December, 2025, the Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) Canada Committee visited Canada for the first time in nine years.
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In September, 2023, then-minister of economy, trade and industry Yasutoshi Nishimura visited Ottawa and signed memoranda of co-operation on battery supply chains and industrial technologies, setting out the medium- to long-term direction of bilateral economic co-operation. In finance, investment in Japan by Canadian pension funds have been increasing. Long-term mutual investment serves the interests of both countries.
The potential for our economic partnership has always been significant; however, challenges such as infrastructure shortages, excessive regulation, co-ordination costs between federal and provincial governments, and the difficulty of securing understanding and support from Indigenous communities have been cited as obstacles.
Mr. Carney is seeking to address these issues swiftly, and I have high expectations for tangible progress. Canada is currently experiencing tensions with the United States over tariffs and Japanese companies are paying close attention to the review of USMCA. Notably, 77 per cent of Canada’s automotive production is done by Japanese companies – a testament of the extent to which they underpin Canada’s industrial base.
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Economic security co-operation is also essential. The weaponization of economic interdependence is intensifying, and Japan and Canada must work together to address economic coercion, overcapacity, and non-market policies and practices. Stable supplies of critical minerals and rare earths – indispensable for decarbonization – are of particular importance, and the potential for bilateral co-operation is immense. As Canada increases defence spending, collaboration in economic security, including defence technologies, can only be pursued with truly trusted partners.
In 2028, Japan and Canada will celebrate the centennial of diplomatic relations. The past century has not always been smooth, and at times we have faced the rough waves of history. In today’s increasingly uncertain era, we need a true compass. Japan and Canada share fundamental values: freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law. As members of the G7, and partners in the G20, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum, and the WTO, we act together in concrete ways. These shared values and actions bind us firmly together, serving as an anchor that prevents us from drifting amid turbulent seas.
Separated by the Pacific yet neighbours in the Indo-Pacific, Japan and Canada are like-minded countries and important strategic partners. The meeting between our Prime Ministers will elevate bilateral relations to new heights and provide a reliable compass for navigating uncharted waters.