The CCCJ is privileged to have among its members our “Honourary Board of Advisors,” a group
of senior Japanese professionals with long experience in business or public service, most
of whom have close connections with Canada. We are grateful for their wisdom, advice and introductions to their many valuable contacts. Here is a profile one of our cherished advisors…

A native of Fukushima Prefecture, Kaminaga-san graduated from the University of Tokyo in 1969 with a degree in mechanical engineering. Soon after he joined Sumitomo Precision Products Co., Ltd. (SPP), a unit of the Sumitomo Group specializing aerospace and industrial equipment.

At first, he was based in the Kansai region, but over the course of his career Kaminaga-san said he was fortunate to have multiple international postings. The first of these was in the early 1980s at SPP’s Dusseldorf West Germany office. Returning to Japan in 1987 before the Bubble Economy burst, he became SPP’s head of global business development. Initially this role was based in Osaka, but when it became apparent that Tokyo would offer more opportunities to develop new clients he moved to the capital.

How did you become involved with Canada?

“Once I had moved to Tokyo, I explored a business opportunity that led to my first visit to Canada, to Montreal. I went to meet the Pulp & Paper Research Institute of Canada, which was interested in our ozone-based pulp bleaching technology. Not long after I had a second business opportunity in Canada, this time in Victoria, B.C., with partners who were interested in our cooling technologies that could freeze materials to be low minus 100 degrees Celsius. But there was more.

“By the end of the 20th Century SPP had become a respected manufacturer of aircraft landing gear. And in the early 2000s we signed a deal with Bombardier to supply the landing gear for their CRJ regional jet. As this entailed a long-term partnership involving maintenance operations, as President of SPP (which I was by that time) it became evident to me that we needed to build a manufacturing plant in the Greater Toronto Area to service the CRJ business. The location we chose was in Mississauga.

“Through that investment process I developed personal friendships with several remarkable Canadians, among them federal cabinet ministers John Manley and Ed Fast; Ontario cabinet minister Brad Duguid; long-time Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion; John McDougall, National Research Council president; and many others.

“I was privileged to have the friendship of these wonderful people who have left a lasting impression that remains with me to this day. I was touched by the way my Canadian counterparts managed to combine business with a warmth rooted in deep human connection, no matter how high their office or social status.

“Later on, I had the honor of sharing a roundtable with former PM Stephen Harper when he visited Japan. And through my friendship with Ed Fast I represented Japan’s business community in the early discussions of the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

“I will also forever cherish my relationship with Hazel McCallion, Mississauga’s mayor for 36 years, who lived until the age of 101. She personally invited me to her retirement party – for which I made a special trip to Canada.

“Another Hazel memory I cherish is her appearance as speaker at a CCCJ event here in Japan, at age 94. She stood on stage for two hours, and none of the ‘younger’ attendees dared to sit down while she stood!

“Among all my many international assignments, the friendships I formed in Canada stand out – which is one of the reasons I accepted the invitation to join the CCCJ’s HBA.”

What could Canada learn from Japan? And what could Japan learn from Canada?

“Throughout all my experiences in Canada, I have been fascinated by how the Canadian people have managed to build a peaceful and cohesive community with waves of immigration from different countries. Way back when I visited a laboratory with the pulp & paper research institute, I met various people at all levels, and I found that in every level of the organization, nationality did not matter when living and working in Canada. One Greek gentleman left a particularly strong impression with his sense of belonging to Canada even though he was an immigrant. That is an aspect of Canadian society that I wish Japan could learn from.

“I’ve had the privilege of joining events at various chambers of commerce – the ACCJ, BCCJ and others – but what sets the CCCJ apart is its warmth and intimacy, an atmosphere where we can discuss business with pleasure, regardless of people’s social class or corporate hierarchies. As mentioned, the same was true in my experience of doing business in Canada. The CCCJ really does reflect its authentic Canadian character, and I believe that is its strength.

“To distinguish its brand and attract new members I believe the CCCJ should capitalize on its unique ability to bring people together. At the same time, it should leverage collaboration opportunities with the ACCJ, BCCJ and European chambers. Ultimately, the wider Japanese business community would benefit from greater awareness of the CCCJ’s uniquely engaging leadership and business style.

Kaminaga-san is a fellow of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, and a member of the Japan Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences, the Japan Society of Applied Physics, the Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan, the Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers and a fellow of Royal Aeronautical Society, UK. He was an external director of Olympus Corp. from 2016 to 2022 and since 2020 has served as a director of Toray Industries.