Building on the comprehensive strategic partnership established between Canada and Japan in March, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Japan (CCCJ) was proud to participate in the Team Canada Trade Mission on June 24. 

Almost 300 delegates representing some 175 business organizations from across Canada travelled to Tokyo for the mission — the largest ever to Japan and one of Canada’s most significant to the Indo-Pacific — to join Japanese government officials, investors and corporate leaders.

The mission reflected Ottawa’s growing commitment to strengthening commercial ties with Japan while positioning Canada as a trusted long-term partner across critical sectors including energy, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, critical minerals and defence. It also demonstrated Canada’s ongoing commitment to strengthening trade relationships with trusted partners like Japan, building on nearly a decade of free trade under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The day opened with remarks from Erin Davidge, counsellor (commercial) & senior trade commissioner at the Embassy of Canada in Japan; Ian McKay, ambassador of Canada to Japan and special envoy for the Indo-Pacific; Maninder Sidhu, Canada’s minister for international trade; and Toshiro Ino, Japan’s state minister of economy, trade and industry. 

CCCJ Chair Marc Bolduc indicated in his opening panel remarks that the Canada–Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has established an expanded framework for bilateral co-operation across trade, investment, innovation, energy security and defence while reinforcing Japan’s importance as one of Canada’s closest partners in the Indo-Pacific.

Annual bilateral trade between Canada and Japan exceeds CAD40 billion. Japanese companies have invested more than CAD55 billion in the Canadian economy — in automotive manufacturing, clean energy, infrastructure, mining, forestry and advanced technologies — creating thousands of jobs and strengthening industrial capabilities in both countries. Canada, meanwhile, has become an increasingly important supplier of food, natural resources, forest products and critical minerals to Japan, while expanding exports in digital services, software and advanced technologies.

It was also noted that Canada’s trade diversification strategy increasingly recognizes Japan not only as an export destination but also as a long-term innovation partner capable of supporting investment, technology commercialization and joint industrial development. 

Supply chains and industry 

Given today’s global geopolitical instability, one of the defining themes of the discussions was economic security. The speakers noted that trade and national security are no longer separate policy areas; resilient supply chains have become fundamental to both economic prosperity and strategic stability.

Government representatives outlined plans to establish an economic security dialogue focused on supply chain resilience, critical minerals and strategic technologies. The initiative reflects growing recognition that countries with shared values must co-operate more closely to reduce vulnerabilities in essential industries. For example, Canada possesses abundant reserves of many of the minerals required for electric vehicles, renewable energy systems and advanced electronics. Japan, on the other hand, is a globally leading manufacturer of batteries, semiconductors and high-technology products. Bringing these complementary strengths together offers significant opportunities for both countries while reducing dependence on less reliable supply chains.

Participants also emphasized the importance of coordinating investment policies and innovation strategies to accelerate project development and encourage greater private-sector collaboration.

In energy, Kaori (Mick) Namiki, former president and CEO of Mitsubishi Canada Ltd. and CCCJ governor, highlighted major Canadian energy developments, including liquefied natural gas projects in British Columbia that have attracted substantial Japanese investment. Nuclear energy also featured prominently, with speakers referencing ongoing collaboration surrounding projects in Ontario. In addition, green hydrogen was cited as a promising area for bilateral co-operation as Canada’s renewable energy resources and Japan’s leadership in hydrogen technologies create natural opportunities for joint investment, research and commercialization.

Rather than viewing the transition to renewable energy sources as a challenge, participants described it as an opportunity to build entirely new industrial ecosystems linking Canadian production with Japanese technological expertise.

In forestry, Canadian products have supplied Japanese markets for decades, supported by close collaboration between producers, architects, builders and researchers. Shawn Lawlor, managing director of Canada Wood Japan and governor at the CCCJ, explained that innovation has been central to this success. Canadian producers have invested in developing higher-value products while working closely with Japanese partners on building technologies, sustainability initiatives and construction standards.

Time, localization and trust

Panellists also offered practical insights for cross-border business, drawn from decades of experience operating across both markets. Discussing digital technology and innovation, Denise Miura, president of OpenText KK, noted that success in Japan depends less on entering the market quickly than on building relationships patiently.

Unlike many markets where transactions may develop rapidly, Japanese business culture places considerable value on trust, consistency and long-term commitment. Companies prepared to invest in relationships frequently discover exceptionally loyal customers and enduring partnerships.

Mio Kawada, executive vice president of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), described market entry not as a single event but as an ongoing process of engagement requiring sustained investment in people, partnerships and local understanding.

In the area of exports, they emphasized that simply exporting products rarely delivers long-term success. Instead, companies must localize both their products and their approach to customer engagement.

OpenText’s Miura said they had built operations in Japan by investing in local employees, developing Japanese-language capabilities and adapting solutions to meet local customer expectations.

Rather than attempting to impose global business models, companies should listen to customers and evolve with them. This approach, panellists said, transforms customers into collaborators. 

Across industries, executives stressed that trust cannot be accelerated through marketing or negotiation alone. It develops through reliability, transparency and consistent delivery over many years. Several panellists reflected on their personal experiences of developing relationships in Japan, noting that informal conversations, repeated visits and genuine interest in local communities often proved just as valuable as formal commercial negotiations.

Understanding cultural expectations and demonstrating respect for local partners were repeatedly identified as competitive advantages. Companies that invest in relationships before pursuing transactions frequently establish stronger and more sustainable businesses.

Looking ahead

With Canadian and Japanese organizations increasingly collaborating through joint research, university partnerships and shared technology development, participants highlighted opportunities to develop collaborative projects that combine Canadian software capabilities with Japanese engineering excellence. 

Universities and research laboratories are expected to play an increasingly important role in these partnerships, serving as platforms where companies from both countries can jointly develop next-generation technologies before commercial deployment.

The emphasis throughout the discussion was on co-innovation rather than technology transfer. By jointly creating solutions, organizations can better address the needs of both domestic and international markets.

The discussions concluded with a clear sense that the Canada–Japan relationship is entering a new phase. Government officials outlined several priorities moving forward, including establishing the planned economic security dialogue, coordinating investment and innovation policies, strengthening critical mineral and energy partnerships, and continuing regular business missions between both countries.

Business leaders welcomed these commitments, arguing that continued engagement will be essential as industries navigate technological transformation and geopolitical change. Participants recognized that government frameworks alone cannot deliver commercial success; private-sector leadership, research collaboration and people-to-people connections will ultimately determine the depth of the partnership.

Québec in focus

Québec had a strong business presence during the Team Canada Trade Mission (TCTM), with 27 participating companies spanning five strategic sectors: defence, security and aerospace; information and communication technologies; agri-food; forestry; clean technologies and energy transition. 

Supported on the ground by the Délégation Générale du Québec à Tokyo and Investissement Québec International, delegates combined business meetings with community moments. Capping off the mission, a festive Québec National Day celebration brought together some 100 guests from the Japanese and Canadian business communities, including many TCTM participants. In addition, an energy-themed dinner featuring Velan Inc., hosted by Mario Girard, Québec’s Delegate General in Japan, gave participants a forum to discuss Québec–Japan opportunities in the energy transition.

Related activities

Representatives of the CCCJ’s corporate membership and leadership participated in an executive women’s roundtable, held on the margins of the trade mission, and attended the Japan–Canada Chambers Council annual meeting in September, which built on the trade mission’s achievements.  

Building networks for women to lead 

The executive roundtable was convened by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, which led a small women’s business delegation to Japan in June as part of its 2019–2027 Women’s Business Mission to Asia Series and the larger Team Canada Trade Mission to Japan. 

The delegation showcased a select group of dynamic Canadian women entrepreneurs whose innovations offer sustainable and resilient solutions in cyber and energy security as well as the environment. Those entrepreneurs met with business leaders in Japan to promote gender-inclusive trade, support small and medium-sized enterprises and catalyze international partnerships between companies in Canada and Japan, one of Canada’s most important markets in Asia.

Members of this delegation joined a roundtable led by Canada’s Minister of Industry Mélanie Joly. The interactive session brought together entrepreneurs, corporate executives, government representatives, Indigenous leaders and advocates for women’s economic advancement around a central question: What enables women in Canada and Japan not only to enter international business and leadership, but to remain, advance and exercise influence within it?

The question is relevant to Canada–Japan economic security. Canada and Japan are seeking to strengthen their co-operation in areas such as energy, technologies, cybersecurity, resilient supply chains and the transition to a lower-carbon economy. Delivering on these priorities requires more than agreements between governments or large corporations. It also requires strong leadership pipelines, diverse sources of expertise and trusted networks
capable of connecting businesses, capital, knowledge and decision-makers across borders.

The roundtable built on almost seven years of APF Canada programming supporting women entrepreneurs in the Indo-Pacific.

Launched as a pilot project in 2019 and supported since 2020 through the Government of Canada’s Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, APF Canada’s Women’s Business Mission Series had delivered 10 international trade missions and four investment-focused events by April 2026. By that point, the program had supported 189 women entrepreneurs from across Canada, generated a conservatively estimated CAD$49.8 million in confirmed commercial outcomes, and was tracking at least 168 additional deals under development.

Almost all the confirmed deal value came from in-person missions. This reinforces a central lesson of APF Canada’s work in the region: relationships, trust and sustained engagement remain fundamental to doing business in Indo-Pacific markets. These relationships also contribute to economic resilience by helping Canadian companies develop a wider range of commercial partners, sources of capital and pathways into priority markets.

In Tokyo, participants considered how this principle applies to women’s advancement more broadly. Networks are not peripheral to economic and professional success. They are part of the social infrastructure through which opportunities, information, capital and influence flow. When those networks cross borders and sectors, they can also help countries identify trusted partners, mobilize expertise and respond more effectively to economic disruption.

This idea was central to the creation of the Japan Women’s Innovative Network (J-Win), founded by roundtable participant Yukako Uchinaga following a distinguished career that included senior executive and board positions at major global corporations. J-Win’s success helped inspire APF Canada’s Canadian Women’s International Network (CanWIN).

Both networks recognize that women need more than occasional access to established markets; they need durable relationships through which they can exchange knowledge, advocate for one another and build collective influence across companies, sectors and borders.

In addition to Minister Joly, senior Canadian participants included Grand Chief Kyra Wilson of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs; Sara Wilshaw, Canada’s chief trade commissioner; Laurie Peters, minister and deputy head of mission at the Embassy of Canada to Japan; and Christine Nakamura, vice-president of APF Canada’s central Canada office. Canadian business leaders included Claudette McGowan of Protexxa (CanWIN Chair), Anong Beam of Beam Paints, Debbie Gray of Heritage Bee Co., Natasha Kostenuk of Ayrton Energy, and Mina Zarabian of Carbonova.

Japanese and Japan-based participants included Takako Ito of the Japan Institute of International Affairs’ Center for Global Outreach and former consul-general of Japan to Toronto; Mio Kawada of JETRO; Yukako Uchinaga of the Globalization Research Institute and J-Win; Kiyo Weiss of Air Canada; Kayo Ito, Riyo Whitney, Ai Nakagawa and Tomoko Ebine, all representing the CCCJ board of governors; and other senior leaders of businesses in Japan.

One important distinction raised during the discussion was the difference between mentorship and sponsorship. A mentor provides advice; a sponsor advocates for someone when she is not in the room. That advocacy can be decisive when leadership appointments, promotions, investment decisions or participation in international delegations are being determined. It also affects whose knowledge and commercial interests are represented when organizations make strategic decisions.

Participants challenged conventional ideas about career progression. Rather than treating advancement as a climb up a ladder, they described careers as lattices. A lateral move into an unfamiliar function can provide the breadth of experience needed for a much larger leadership role. Stretch assignments can be transformative, but leaders must recognize that not everyone is prepared to make the same leap at the same moment.

Effective development means helping women identify an achievable next step, progressively building experience and confidence, and providing sponsors who remain invested in their success.

Individual ambition, however, cannot overcome every institutional barrier. Participants emphasized the need to examine how organizations make decisions. Where does meaningful networking occur? Who has access to those spaces? Are traditional requirements for senior leadership still relevant, or are outdated expectations unnecessarily narrowing the pipeline?

Informal networking through golf or after-work socializing has historically benefited employees without primary caregiving responsibilities. More professional networking during working hours would make access less dependent on an employee’s ability to participate outside the workday.

Workplace flexibility was similarly discussed not as an accommodation for women, but as sound organizational policy for everyone. When flexibility or parental leave is treated primarily as a women’s issue, it can reinforce the stigma it is meant to address. Canada’s experience with parental leave in the foreign service showed how greater participation by men helped reduce the assumption that women alone represented a potential absence or interruption.

Japan has introduced policies encouraging men to take parental leave, and some companies have established ambitious participation targets. Yet top-down policy alone does not immediately change behaviour. Men may still face social pressure not to use the leave available to them, demonstrating the need to address organizational culture alongside formal rules.

Japanese participants also reflected on the significant increase in women’s representation on corporate boards. Much of that representation, however, consists of external directors. The internal pipeline from management to the C-suite remains comparatively limited. Developing women from within organizations — not simply appointing accomplished women after they have succeeded elsewhere — is important both for equality and for institutional resilience. Companies need leadership teams able to draw on a broad range of experience when responding to technological, demographic and market change.

The roundtable situated these questions within the wider Canada–Japan relationship. As the two countries approach the centenary of their diplomatic relations in 2028, participants identified an opportunity to make women’s leadership and economic participation a visible diplomatic part of the comprehensive strategic partnership.

That opportunity must include Indigenous women. Indigenous representatives at the table emphasized that First Nations must be present in international discussions involving Canadian land and resources. Indigenous participation in trade is not simply a matter of representation. It brings distinct approaches to community prosperity, environmental stewardship, resource development and intergenerational responsibility — all of which are relevant to how Canada defines long-term economic security.

Participants also identified opportunities for Indigenous-to-Indigenous and culturally grounded collaboration, including a possible connection between Japanese washi papermaking and artistic traditions in Kinngait, formerly known as Cape Dorset. Such potential cross-border relationships illustrate how trade can also function as cultural diplomacy, creating partnerships rooted in knowledge, identity and shared practice.

The entrepreneurs in the room demonstrated what becomes possible when women gain access to international networks. They also spoke candidly about persistent barriers. Women founders continue to receive a disproportionately small share of venture capital, with women of colour facing still greater obstacles. Indigenous entrepreneurs may encounter additional difficulty accessing conventional bank financing and often need to develop alternative routes into international commerce.

The message emerging was nevertheless one of agency and ways forward. Women are building globally competitive companies, developing technologies relevant to economic security, forming cross-border partnerships and changing institutions. The task is to ensure that the systems surrounding them — capital, trade programming, corporate leadership pipelines, procurement and international delegations — recognize and amplify that work.

APF Canada will continue this effort through CanWIN and its Women’s Business Mission Series. In October 2026, APF Canada will lead a delegation of women entrepreneurs to India as part of the Government of Canada’s Team Canada Trade Mission to India. In March 2027, the CanWIN Global Summit will come to Asia for the first time, convening women from Canada and across the Indo-Pacific in Taipei on International Women’s Day.

The Tokyo roundtable reinforced why this work matters. When women have strong networks, active sponsors, access to capital and a place at the tables where decisions are made, the benefits extend well beyond individual careers. They create stronger companies, more resilient economic relationships and a broader base of leadership for Canada and Japan as they navigate a more complex Indo-Pacific region.

New era of co-operation

Convened on Sept. 30 at the Embassy of Canada to Japan in Tokyo, the annual meeting of the Japan–Canada Chambers Council (JCCC) took the theme, Redesigning resilience and growth across the Pacific. It was attended by representatives of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCC), Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), CCCJ, Embassy of Canada to Japan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).

Welcoming attendees, Tatsuo Yasunaga and Rick White, Japan and Canada chairs, respectively, of the JCCC, noted the significance of the Canada–Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, guided by the Canada–Japan Comprehensive Strategic Roadmap focusing on six core priorities: enhanced security and defence co-operation; economic security, supply chains and technological resilience; trade and investment; energy security and food security; arctic, environment and climate co-operation; and people-to-people, academic and cultural exchanges.

They added that Canada and Japan are key strategic and economic partners with aligned business interests and complementary strengths.

Keiji Hattori, director-general for trade policy and economic co-operation at METI, said the countries also share the goal of expanding business through partnerships, with some already bearing fruit.

In the energy sector, LNG Canada began shipping liquified natural gas from its facility in British Columbia to the Asian market in 2025 and, on Sept. 29, the company announced a final investment decision on its Phase 2 project. The move is expected to double production capacity at the plant to 28 million tonnes per year, which would “contribute significantly to strengthening Japan’s energy security,” Hattori explained.

New possibilities are also “steadily expanding” in other areas, including supply chains for critical minerals, co-operation in the fields of storage batteries and automobiles, and research and industrial collaboration in cutting-edge fields such as AI, he added.

Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Koki Ozora said there is “a great opportunity for Japan and Canada to grow together, share challenges and find solutions that will make relations stronger.”

He noted the government’s strong support of the activities of the JCCC, which provide the economic community with the knowledge and ability to create new business opportunities and find concrete, practical solutions in today’s complex world.

Ambassador of Canada to Japan Ian McKay said the global economy is undergoing “profound change.” Countries are increasingly looking for partners they can rely on — giving Canada and Japan a distinct advantage. Government and private sector bilateral engagements in recent months demonstrate the urgency in which both countries are working together, he continued. Examples include the Equipment and Technology Transfer Agreement between Canada and Japan, inked in January 2026, which could enhance opportunities in defence.

Economic security

The supply of materials and energy is becoming increasingly important for economic security and industrial competitiveness, said JETRO’s Mio Kawada, opening the first panel as moderator. Minerals such as graphite and lithium are indispensable for decarbonization due to their applications in electric vehicles and solar power generation, and building robust supply chains has become a pressing issue.

Panellist Ichiro Takahara, chairman and CEO of the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security, explained that 93 per cent of Japan’s oil imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz. As a result, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has “made Japan keenly aware of the need for energy security.”

He praised Canada’s commitment to building supply chains for critical minerals as part of its national strategy. The approach is important to Japan as nickel, lithium, copper, graphite and rare earths are “crucial to its manufacturing supply chains and necessary for achieving carbon neutrality: a shared global agenda.” Canada is therefore “an extremely reliable partner” for Japan in this area, he added.

Masato Narimatsu, general manager of the advanced materials division at Mitsui & Co., Ltd., outlined the activities of the Québec-based mining and advanced materials company NMG. Mitsui is a strategic investor and partner in the company, which is developing a natural graphite operation to produce anode material required in lithium-ion battery manufacturing.

After graphite is mined, it requires processing — which is heavily dominated by China — to become usable battery anode material.

“The question facing the industry is whether we can establish a competitive supply chain outside China,” Narimatsu said. “We need to enhance our competitiveness in all aspects — quality, quantity and price — from mining to the processing of battery materials.”

The industry, however, faces three challenges. First, economic viability; new supply chains require substantial upfront investment while existing suppliers possess a track record and large-scale production capacity. Second, demand commitment; suppliers need a long-term demand forecast to make decisions while customers require flexibility to adapt to changes in funding and technology. Third, timeframes differ; resource development, quality certification, customers’ procurement decisions and financial institution reviews all have their own timeframe.

Hugues Jacquemin, CEO of Ontario-based Northern Graphite Corporation, introduced the company’s plans to add to its three graphite mines with the construction of three battery anode facilities. 

With a long-term view of developing supply chains, the company is in discussions with Japanese automakers, battery makers and others who use graphite in various applications. The challenge is “to develop an offering that is both high-quality and competitive,” he said.

Jacquemin described resource development as “a long-term endeavour,” incorporating dialogue with local communities and Indigenous peoples that communicates the business’ value through employment, workforce development and partnerships with local companies. This is important for ESG, stability, continuity and competitiveness.

New business frontiers

Matthew Holmes, executive vice president, international and chief of public policy at the CCC, moderated the second session on IT, high-tech and digital infrastructure.

Ryu Taniguchi, executive officer for the separator market-based unit at Asahi Kasei Corporation, pointed out the growing importance of sourcing batteries. Demand for energy storage is expected to grow at 10 per cent annually until 2035, including from data centres, electric vehicles and other applications critical for economic and national security such as robotics, drones, the military and space.

Taniguchi said Asahi Kasei’s CAD1.7 billion investment to build a lithium-ion battery separator plant in Ontario demonstrates “its long-term confidence in Canada and its commitment to building a competitive North American battery supply chain.”

Kouta Nakashima, head of the artificial intelligence laboratory in Fujitsu Research at Fujitsu Ltd., introduced the company’s strengths in cutting-edge technology, as demonstrated by its flagship supercomputer, Fugaku, jointly developed with Japan’s leading national research institute RIKEN.

From its office in Toronto, Fujitsu partners with Canadian company Cohere, which builds large language models (LLMs) and agentic enterprise AI systems tailored for business and government sectors. Nakashima said the strengths of having a presence in Canada include access to the University of Toronto, with which Fujitsu carries out joint research.

In Japan, the strategic alliance between Fujitsu and Cohere has resulted in the development of Takane, an advanced Japanese LLM deployed privately and tailored for Fujitsu. According to fellow panellist Takeo Tokunari, customer success manager at Cohere, Takane features “advanced Japanese language capabilities for complex technical language across specialized industries like legal, finance and manufacturing, as well as Japanese-centric multilingual business enablement, with support for other languages.”

Finally, Gentaro Tanaka, senior director of marketing at Ontario- headquartered information management company OpenText KK, shared his company’s role as an electronic data interchange service provider in today’s age of AI, when information management is crucial.

“We provide a platform to safely manage the information that companies have and help connect it to business value,” he said.

Regarding AI, “what is important to us is not whether AI can give an answer, but whether companies can trust the answer. When it comes to finance, customer relations or compliance, if AI answers incorrectly, it becomes a big problem.”

Integrating AI safely and responsibly in relation to information, governance and security is an urgent issue for businesses, he continued.

Asked what Canada and Japan can learn from each other in the field of AI and digital infrastructure, Fujitsu’s Nakashima cited openness to innovation, diversity of researchers and sovereign control of technologies. To realize its own sovereign AI, Japan needs to work with trusted partners, he said, noting Canada as a great example of one.

In closing, Holmes said trust and partnership is fundamental in digital industries in this age of AI, which is transforming society.

Joint statement

JCCC chairs Yasunaga and White signed a joint statement to build on the 2026 JCCC meeting in the areas of economic security, resource and energy; digital infrastructure, AI and strategic technologies; and trade, investment and the business environment.

White described the statement as a commitment and starting point, adding, “As we look toward the centennial of Canada–Japan diplomatic relations in 2028, we have an excellent opportunity to build on this strong foundation and take our relationship even further.”

Yasunaga said it’s essential the CCC and JCCI accelerate their collaboration to translate the Canada–Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership into impactful action.

Offering a toast for the networking reception, Candace Laing, president and CEO of the CCC, said every leader has a role in taking forward the business relationships between Canada and Japan.