Canada and Japan: Partners in a Dangerous Time

By Anita Anand / Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada

6:00 JST, July 9, 2025

The Canadian minister of foreign affairs is in Japan this week. She talks about the importance of her visit in the following contribution to The Japan News.

In a world that is becoming steadily more divided and dangerous, Canadians and Japanese both understand: We are stronger when we work together, and our security and prosperity are tied to broader global stability. Last month, Canada hosted Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and other world leaders at the G7 Summit in Alberta, and this week I am honoured to be in Japan to continue our work together.

Canada is determined to use its G7 presidency this year to show the world there is a viable alternative to the global disorder we are seeing. Japan, a longtime friend of Canada, is central to this vision of upholding the rules-based international order and the rule of law, respecting territorial integrity, and protecting human rights and democratic values.

As Pacific nations, our partnership is particularly key in the Indo-Pacific region, where rising tensions and coercive behaviour threaten peace and prosperity. Canada and Japan both want a free and open Indo-Pacific, which is why I was so pleased to be in Tokyo yesterday with Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya to sign the Canada-Japan Security of Information Agreement.

This agreement is proof of our momentum since announcing the Canada-Japan Action Plan almost three years ago, and it is a critical step forward in our relationship.

The Security of Information Agreement gives Canada and Japan the tools we need to strengthen our security partnership. It will enable the exchange of national security-related information and facilitate two-way defence and security-related procurement. It is an essential outcome in this time of growing instability.

This cooperation is also a key building block in our broader bilateral relationship. We are working hard to diversify our partnership, including in trade and investment. As natural economic partners, Canada-Japan collaboration under the CPTPP has opened new pathways for innovation, trade, and sustainable growth. The benefits are shared, with Canadian resources helping to meet Japan’s strategic needs, and Japanese investment driving innovation in Canada’s automotive, clean tech, and advanced manufacturing sectors.

Canada also stands ready as Japan diversifies its energy sources and secures its supply chains. In fact, the first shipment of Canadian LNG bound for East Asian markets departed at the end of June, just before Canada Day. Canada is home to vast potential to produce LNG, hydrogen, and critical minerals. By aligning our supply chains, we can ensure that Japanese industry has reliable access to the materials essential for next-generation technologies and clean energies to power them.

Of course, people are at the heart of our relationship, and on that note, I want to congratulate Japan on hosting many thousands of visitors from all over the world at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo — including many who have visited the remarkable Canada Pavilion in these first months. This truly global gathering should remind all people of all we stand to gain by working together.