I hope this latest edition of The Canadian finds you warm, comfortable and with your thoughts slowly drifting towards the holiday season that’s just around the corner. It’s hard to believe that another year has already gone by.

It All Counts

As an editor, I’ve read — and written — my fair share of articles, but it’s a rare one that inspires me to change my behaviour. However, that’s precisely what our story on single-use plastics (page 18) got me to do. The article sheds light on just how significant a challenge our addiction to plastic places on the environment, and looks at how governments and businesses in Canada and Japan are tackling the issue. Now, skipping that plastic lid on my konbini coffee or using a reusable shopping bag might be a tiny gesture when confronting such a gargantuan problem, but if enough people play even a small part, that’s the beginning of change.

That same willingness to help chip in and do your part can be seen from the members of Canada Rugby and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Japan (CCCJ) following the cancelled 2019 Rugby World Cup match between the Canucks and Namibia in the Iwate Prefecture city of Kamaishi. You can read more about that in CCCJ Executive Director Matt Ketchum’s column (page 7) and see it for yourself on page 26.

Crossing Borders

I enjoyed learning about Québec games companies visiting Japan (page 12) for an entirely different reason. Ever since I got a second-hand Atari 2600 back in the early 1980s, I’ve been fascinated by video games and the people who make them. Now, although times — and the amount of time I actually have to play games — have changed, I’m always happy to have a chance to check in on the industry and see what’s happening. Québec is recognized as a powerhouse in the world of gaming, and while major studios have their home in the province, there are plenty of smaller players that are blazing their own trails, and looking to try their luck in Asian markets.

Finding plenty of luck — and laughter — in Canada is the comedian Yumi Nagashima (page 22). As you’ll find out, her approach to stand-up doesn’t just have her audiences rolling in the aisles, but also challenging their own prejudices and stereotypes. In these pages, you’ll also drop in on a Saskatchewan trade mission (page 15) that included Premier Scott Moe, and the LNG Forum Canada–Japan (page 17), which brought together leaders from industry and government to share their insights on an energy source with a major upside.

As always, thank you for your readership, and we’ll see again you in 2020.

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