Minister Ng celebrates successful Team Canada Trade Mission to Japan

From: Global Affairs Canada

News release

November 2, 2023 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development has concluded her first full-scale Team Canada Trade Mission to Osaka and Tokyo, Japan. The mission– a key initiative under Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy – connected Canadian exporters and innovators from across the country with key business players in Japan and fostered long-term opportunities for Canadian businesses in the Japanese market.

Following a productive G7 Trade Ministers’ Meeting in Osaka, Minister Ng welcomed more than 240 people, representing more than 160 Canadian organizations from a range of priority sectors, including clean technologies, information and communications technologies, agriculture and creative industries, among others. Over the course of 4 days, Minister Ng connected with Canadian trade mission delegates and Japanese businesses. She also hosted several events aimed at strengthening collaboration between Canada and Japan.

During a tour led by Iwatani Corporation of Hy touch Kobe, a liquefied hydrogen terminal and storage facility managed by the Japanese consortium HySTRA (Hydrogen Energy Supply-chain Technology Research Association), Minister Ng emphasized Canada as a responsible and reliable energy security partner for Japan. In Osaka, she also promoted Canada as a potential investment destination while touring a Panasonic Energy battery cell factory and, at a business networking reception, spoke to a group of over 200 business leaders from western Japan. Minister Ng completed her time in Osaka by attending a presentation on the Canada Pavilion for Expo 2025 Osaka where dignitaries and media got a first look at the pavilion’s design concept.

Minister Ng officially launched the Tokyo portion of the trade mission by hosting a Team Canada reception for delegates to meet with local business contacts and government officials. She was accompanied by the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, and Nishimura Yasutoshi, Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.

While in Tokyo, Minister Ng also held her first meeting with Shindō Yoshitaka, Japan’s new Minister in charge of Economic Revitalization to discuss Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), implementation and Canada’s plans for hosting the CPTPP Commission in 2024. 

Minister Ng highlighted opportunities for Canadian and Japanese businesses to collaborate at a chief executive officer round table with representatives of the Business Council of Canada and the Japan Association of Corporate Executives, as well as at a separate event with the Japan Business Federation.

At the Japan-Canada Chambers Council’s annual meeting, co-chaired by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Minister Ng joined Tsuji Kiyoto, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, in providing remarks on the current state of Canada-Japan bilateral relations. Minister Ng also emphasized the significance of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy for Canada’s enhanced long-term engagement in the region. Finally, she promoted collaboration between Canadian companies and start-ups at Toppan Digital Incorporated, a company under the Toppan Group that provides a broad range of products and services using its proprietary printing technologies.

Minister Ng closed out the Team Canada Trade Mission to Japan at a gathering with Canadian delegates, where she encouraged them to build on the momentum of the trade mission by fostering the connections made in Japan, one of Canada’s top trading partners.

Quotes

“Over the course of the Team Canada Trade Mission, I saw first-hand why Japan is considered an ideal market for Canadian exporters. Canada’s strong and diverse commercial relationship with Japan, covering trade, investment, science, technology and innovation, was apparent throughout the events, and it is clear that Canadian companies of all sizes will benefit from deeper connections to the Japanese economy.”

- Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development

Quick facts

  • More than 240 people, representing more than 160 Canadian organizations of all sizes from a range of key sectors, industry associations, portfolio partners and provincial, territorial and municipal officials, attended the Team Canada Trade Mission to Japan.

  • Under the federal Creative Export Strategy, Canadian Heritage, in collaboration with Global Affairs Canada, led the creative industries business program as part of the Team Canada Trade Mission to Japan.

  • In 2024, Minister Ng will lead Team Canada Trade Missions to Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea and Vietnam.

  • With a gross domestic product of $5.5 trillion in 2022, Japan is the world’s third-largest national economy and one of Canada’s most important economic and commercial partners.

  • The foreign direct investment (FDI) stock from Japan in Canada was valued at $40.7 billion (2022), making Japan Canada’s largest source of FDI from the Indo-Pacific and third-largest overall.

  • In 2022, Japan was Canada’s fourth-largest merchandise export destination in the world and second-largest in the Indo-Pacific.

  • Canadian exports of goods to Japan were valued at almost $18 billion in 2022, exceeding the value of imports from Japan.

  • Canada’s top export products to Japan include mineral fuels and oils, mineral ores, agricultural products and wood. Canada’s leading imports from Japan are vehicles and auto parts, industrial machinery and electrical machinery and equipment.

  • In 2020, 65,302 jobs in Canada were directly or indirectly supported by merchandise exports to Japan.

Associated links

Contacts

Shanti Cosentino
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development
343-576-4365
Shanti.Cosentino@international.gc.ca

Media Relations Office
Global Affairs Canada
media@international.gc.ca
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