Canada Day message 2024
July 1, 2024
Canada-Japan at 95: Strong and Forward-Looking?
This Canada Day marks an important milestone. While our ties go back much further, it was in 1929, 95 years ago, that Canada opened its official mission in Japan, formalizing full bilateral diplomatic relations between the two countries. Today our relationship is thriving across multiple fields, including politics, defence, trade and investment, science and technology, the environment, and people-to-people connections.
In the 95 years since Canada-Japan diplomatic ties were initiated, the relationship is more important than ever. The Canada-Japan Action Plan commits our two countries to cooperate on initiatives that promote the rule of law, economic growth, energy security, biodiversity, and climate change action, and Japan stands at the core of Canada's broader Indo-Pacific Strategy.
Canada’s increased defence presence in the Indo-Pacific is creating new opportunities to work alongside Japan, including with the visit of three Royal Canadian Navy frigates to Japan last year. Ship deployments and port visits in 2024 mean additional opportunities for our respective navies to exercise together, along with other partners and allies.?There is also more collaboration for the Royal Canadian Air Force, Canadian Army, and Canadian Special Operations Forces Command with their respective counterparts. Cooperation and information sharing in areas such as Women, Peace, and Security, cyber, and space continue to grow. Canada has also expanded its efforts to uphold international fisheries agreements and to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the North Pacific.
Thanks to our complementary economies, the Canada-Japan commercial relationship is flourishing. As founding members, Canada and Japan work together in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, which Canada chairs in 2024.?Canada is partnering with Japan to establish resilient, secure, and sustainable supply chains, including in critical technologies and minerals, supported by a well-functioning rules-based multilateral trading system.
As we celebrate Canada-Japan at 95 and look forward, the relationship is rapidly expanding. Science and technology partnerships between our two countries are robust, with researchers and companies teaming up to tackle some of the world’s leading challenges, from the pursuit of cleaner and more sustainable energy to the development of more efficient semiconductors to support the AI revolution. Numerous Canadian delegations visit Japan to discuss new opportunities for collaboration on security, trade, environment, education, and culture, and we are preparing to showcase the very best of Canada as we work with Japan to deliver an unforgettable Canada Pavilion for Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai.
Strengthened Canada-Japan cooperation is taking place in an increasingly difficult geo-political, economic, and environmental context but our solid foundation is a source of strength. In their meetings last year, Prime Minister Trudeau and Prime Minister Kishida reaffirmed their determination to address global challenges together, notably by cooperating in the context of Canada’s 2025 G7 presidency and beyond - pledging to protect our democracies, promote human rights, and maintain the rules-based international order.
Canada and Japan are natural partners. Our frameworks for cooperation underscore our common values and priorities, and our shared vision for the future. As we celebrate everything we have achieved together since 1929, I am excited by the enormous potential of the Canada-Japan relationship and all we can accomplish in the next 95 years. Happy Canada Day!
Ian G. McKay
Ambassador of Canada to Japan
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