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I’d like to start this note by wishing all members of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Japan (CCCJ) the best in these uncertain times. I hope that you, your families and your businesses are adjusting to everything that the new normal has brought with it.
One of the best ways to appreciate a country and a culture is through its food and drink, and with that in mind, we’ve put a special focus this issue on featuring the many products from Canada that find their way onto store shelves and restaurant tables in Japan. We begin with a look at Canadian food in Japan (page 12), which runs a wide gamut, from products for which Canada is well known to a few surprises — for example, did you know that the french fry capital of the world is located in a small town in New Brunswick?
Then we take a trip to Vancouver, where master sushi chef Hidekazu Tojo sparked a revolution in the food world by adapting a traditional Japanese dish to Western tastes.
Finally, we move to Canadian wine, which has truly come into its own in the past two decades. Wine-growing regions can be found across the country, and the vintages they are producing regularly win prizes at the international level.
The connection between Canada and Japan can be seen in a number of other articles. The Japan Market Expansion Competition, or JMEC, draws a diverse group of young professionals together to create innovative business plans for client companies. As we see in our coverage of the program, JMEC has strong Canadian connections. The Canadian community in Japan is spread across the country, and one organization dedicated to creating bilateral ties is the Tokai Japan Canada Society, founded in 2004. The famed architect Kengo Kuma has worked on projects around the world, but one of his most recent buildings, Alberni, which is to be completed in Vancouver in 2021, marks an opportunity for the architect to put his stamp on the skyline of a major Canadian city. And Paul Lirette, the Montrealer who is leading GSK’s Japan operations, talks about what brought him to this country and how his company is tackling the Covid-19 pandemic.
We hope you enjoy this issue. Thanks as always for your readership, and please stay safe and healthy.
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