(March 6): Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney pledged to expand energy trade and military cooperation with Japan as he met with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo on Friday.
The meeting comes at a volatile time for world energy markets as the war in Iran halts a significant supply of oil and gas exports from the region.
Carney and Takaichi unveiled a series of agreements as part of their sitdown, including a goal for Canada to increase the flow of liquefied natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas to Japan. The two countries also plan to collaborate on more nuclear and clean energy projects.
“Canada is in a position where we can double our LNG exports by the end of this decade, and double again by the end of the following decade,” said Carney, who is visiting Japan at the tail end of a lengthy trip that included stops in India and Australia.
Takaichi cited LNG Canada, a major export terminal on Canada’s west coast in which Japan’s Mitsubishi Corp is a part-owner, as an example of energy ties between the two countries. The terminal began shipments last year and is considering a large expansion that would double its output.
“Canada’s wealth of resources and Japan’s technology complement each other and there are many ongoing projects that firms from both of our countries are pushing forward,” Takaichi said.
Carney said his government will organise a large trade mission to Japan later in 2026, and said he plans to meet executives from some of Japan’s “most important companies” before he leaves on Saturday.
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The defence agreements include promises of action against illegal fishing in the North Pacific, joint navy training exercises, and close cooperation on cybersecurity measures.
Takaichi said Japan and Canada will build on the legal groundwork that has already been laid in information sharing, defence equipment, and technology transfer.
“We agreed to further strengthen our defence and security cooperation, including through expanding the scope of our joint military exercises,” Takaichi said. “This will contribute greatly towards the building of a resilient Indo-Pacific,” she added.
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Takaichi was visibly impressed when Carney tried a few sentences of awkward Japanese during his public remarks — a language the Canadian leader picked up decades ago when he lived in Tokyo as a banker with Goldman Sachs.
With diplomatic relations between Japan and Canada set to reach its centennial in 2028, Takaichi emphasised that relations between the two countries are closer than ever.
“As we look forward to the historical milestone, I look forward to joining forces with Mark in opening up this new chapter in Japan-Canada relations,” she said.
Uploaded by Evelyn Chan
