We are now in the Year of the Snake, which is traditionally believed to be a time that brings wisdom, transformation and strategic growth. It is a time for the patience, planning and thoughtful decision-making needed to achieve long-term success. 

For Canadians though, 2025 so far has been a startling ‘’wake-up call’’ as the new U.S. administration has targeted our country with tariffs and threats of annexation. We must hope there is truth in the old saying that there is a silver lining in every crisis. For Canada that could mean realizing our huge potential to diversify our trading relationships. This pain (short-term we hope!) can perhaps help us learn from this unfortunate situation and embark on a strategic transformation that will help us achieve balanced growth in years to come.  

On a positive note, the first shipment of Canadian liquefied natural gas (LNG) will arrive in Japan in the second half of this year. This comes five years after the start of liquefied petroleum gas (propane) exports to this country. With further LNG export terminals being developed in British Columbia, Canada is poised to be a key supplier of low carbon energy to Japan. Ammonia and hydrogen will soon join the list of our exports to the region. As you will discover in this issue, the CCCJ’s Energy Committee is keeping a close eye on all these developments.

In February, I had the honor to represent our Chamber at the Canada in Asia Conference (CIAC 2025) in Singapore. Now in its third year, this annual event brings together many leading companies, government representatives and Canadian chambers of commerce that are active in this region. 

This year’s main theme focused on how Asia should be a key pillar of our market diversification strategy, powered by the CPTPP agreement and Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy. I was also pleased to brainstorm with other Canadian chambers (“CanChams”) ways we could provide more support for Canadian businesses in the region. As a result of these discussions, we will be launching a CanCham service guide that will further help to structure our service offering.

Our CCCJ, the oldest CanCham in Asia, will proudly celebrate our 50th anniversary this year, half a century of supporting Canadian companies seeking to do business in Japan. 

As a proud Montrealer, I am pleased to see a growing number of Quebec companies becoming active in the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’ – notably my favorite dépanneur (konbini) Alimentation Couche-Tard from the Montreal suburb of Laval. We have been pleased to welcome Couche-Tard as a new Sustaining Member of the CCCJ, and I have been pleased to meet with their representatives several times. 

After Couche-Tard’s initial offer to acquire 7-Eleven parent 7&i Holdings was rejected, at first it looked like the end of the story. But in recent days their bold undertaking – which would be the largest-ever foreign corporate takeover in Japan – has come roaring back to life with the failure of a management buyout effort.

As you will read in this issue, Couche-Tard’s long-term strategic vision and decentralized management style may align well with the future needs of 7-Eleven. 

At the CCCJ we will continue to support Couche-Tard’s efforts to reassure Japanese society that they are a responsible and thoroughly Canadian corporate citizen. 

Finally, this month we are welcoming the arrival in Japan of our new Quebec Delegate General, Mario Girard. As you can also read in this issue, Monsieur Girard is a seasoned business leader who comes to the Delegation from his previous position as CEO of the Port of Québec. We look forward to working with him in the years to come, helping our ‘’Belle Province’’ to deepen its relations with Japan. To this end, the CCCJ is considering new initiatives that will create direct liaisons with all our provincial representatives to facilitate direct communications with our board.