Canada-Japan Relations

Japan and Canada combine efforts to research new energy source

2010-12-08T22:45:00.000-08:00

Source:Edmonton Journal - November 15, 2010

'Fiery ice' may ignite new energy source

'Clean' hydrate gas could reduce emissions, analysts say

By Margaret Munro, Postmedia News

For the Japanese, drilling down through Arctic permafrost to get at "fiery ice" was much less daunting than boring into the deep sea.

They came up with $48 million -- with $3 million from Canada -- for an epic experiment in the Northwest Territories that has generated tantalizing evidence, to be detailed in Tokyo this week, that frozen gas hydrates may live up to their billing as a plentiful new energy source.

The Canadian and Japanese team will describe how they got the hydrates to release gas, like bubbles out of champagne. In a world first, the team got a production well to generate a steady flow of gas for six days, fuelling a flame in the Arctic darkness.

"The message is quite clear, you can produce gas hydrates using conventional techniques," says Scott Dallimore, a senior scientist at Natural Resources Canada, who co-led the project in the Mackenzie Delta. Over two winters, the researchers drilled down more than a kilometre into a 150-metre thick layer on the edge of the Beaufort Sea at Mallik -- the most concentrated known deposit of the frozen fuel in the world.

For the complete article please see it at the Edmonton Journal

FTA progress between Japan and Canada!

2010-11-14T01:02:00.000-08:00

Japan offers to "positively consider" bilateral free trade with Canada and requests Ontario to open its solar power generation market.

Source: Japan Today - November 11th 2010

Japan with U.S. on rare earths, positive on free trade with Canada
Thursday 11th November, 07:56 AM JST

YOKOHAMA —
Japan reaffirmed its bond with the United States in dealing with China’s rare earth export curbs, while showing a positive stance toward Canada over a free trade agreement in respective bilateral talks Wednesday.

Trade minister Akihiro Ohata discussed the rare earth issue with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Jim Steinberg on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Yokohama in the evening, and then met with his Canadian counterpart Peter Van Loan.

As Steinberg said that both countries had learned lessons from the Chinese curbs as an issue in common, Ohata proposed that the two countries exchange opinions and cooperate over such countermeasures as developing alternative materials and recycling, a Japanese trade official said.

In response to the Canadian international trade minister’s proposal that their countries pursue a bilateral free trade agreement, Ohata was quoted as saying, ‘‘We would like to positively consider what we can do,’’ in line with Tokyo’s latest free trade policy.

Please see complete article at Japantoday.com

Canada - the world's most attractive country

2010-11-08T03:18:00.000-08:00

A U.S. brand consulting company finds Canada to be attractive country for travelers

Source: The Mainichi Daily News - November 8th 2010

Canada becomes world's most attractive country; Japan ranked 6th

NEW YORK (Kyodo) -- Canada overtook the United States to become the country most attractive to travelers this year, with Japan ranking sixth, a survey targeting individual tourists and experts showed Sunday.

According to the latest Country Brand Index compiled by FutureBrand, a U.S. brand consulting company, Canada garnered support from travelers due in part to the success of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver this year.

For complete story please see the full article at The Mainichi Daily News

Laissez-faire est mort? Canada says "No" to BHP

2010-11-05T18:09:00.000-07:00

In this trying climate where nations are seeking to maintain the strength of a global recovery, is Canada moving towards a protective state by blocking foreign ownership of Canadian companies?

From Economist.com - November 4th 2010
Not so fast
The government puts the kibosh on a bid for PotashCorp
Nov 4th 2010 | OTTAWA

WHEN BHP Billiton, the world’s biggest mining company, announced a $40 billion hostile takeover offer for PotashCorp in August, few expected the business-friendly government of Stephen Harper to get in the way. Being the world’s largest producer of potash, an ingredient of fertiliser, is hardly strategic. And to reject the Anglo-Australian firm’s bid would send an unwelcoming message to foreign investors, upsetting Canada’s business leaders, who had asked the government not to intervene.

For complete article please see Not so fast

The downside of expat life

2010-10-11T18:26:00.000-07:00

The federal government is only beginning to grapple with a world in which 8 per cent of Canadian citizens live outside Canada’s borders.

Kenny Zhang, a researcher with the Vancouver-based Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, argues that government policies punish so-called transnational Canadians. For example, naturalized Canadian citizens living abroad can not pass on citizenship to children born outside the country. Also, a Canadian who lives abroad for more than five years is no longer permitted to vote in federal elections...

For complete article please visit the source: Globe and Mail - The downside of expat life

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Yen: William Pesek

2010-10-06T19:42:00.000-07:00

If you want to know what’s wrong with Japan’s economy, start with Kazuo Mizuno.

At 56, the government aide is too junior to have much say in seniority-based Japan. That’s too bad. Mizuno is the highest- ranking official in many a year to speak the truth about the yen: Japan has much to gain from a strong currency.

This mere suggestion is heresy in Tokyo, and expect Mizuno to get some very testy phone calls this week. Perhaps even the odd suggestion that he should consider an early, early retirement. Yet the deputy director-general of economic assessment at Japan’s Cabinet Office is absolutely right.

Japan’s preference for seniority-based leadership is a self-imposed straitjacket that restricts fresh thinking. By the time politicians rise to power, they are 100 percent convinced the strong yen is the main force holding the nation back. Sadly, Mizuno is too far down on the political food chain to push his let-the-yen-strengthen argument.

For complete article please visit the source: Bloomberg - How I Learned to Stop Worrying

Hiring Is Booming And Home Prices Are Rising

2010-07-11T23:48:00.000-07:00

According to a recent article in the Huffington Post, June saw Canada create jobs at a pace that was five times the rate predicted by economists. Canada, a nation with roughly one tenth of our population, created about 10,000 more new jobs than America.

Full article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/09/need-a-job-try-canada-whe_n_640555.html

“A Canada-Japan economic partnership agreement would help address today’s economic challenges..." Peter Van Loan, Minister of International Trade

2010-06-30T16:21:00.001-07:00

Minister Van Loan highlights free and open trade opportunities with Japan

(June 7, 2010) The Honourable Peter Van Loan, Minister of International Trade, today reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to strengthen trade and economic cooperation with the Asia-Pacific region before wrapping up his trade visit to Japan.

While in Japan, Minister Van Loan attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Trade in Sapporo, where he held a number of bilateral meetings with counterparts from APEC member economies.
“A Canada-Japan economic partnership agreement would help address today’s economic challenges by creating jobs and opening more doors for business on both sides of the Pacific,” said the Minister. “Our government is committed to promoting free trade, fighting protectionism and creating opportunities for Canadian businesses and Canadian workers in global markets.”

Minister Van Loan also visited one of the first of a series of 7-Eleven stores being built in Japan using Canadian wood-frame methods and wood products. He also delivered an address at the Friends of Canada Symposium, which brought together economic and social organizations with links to Canada. (KCBA was also represented at the Symposium)
Read to complete article at: "http://www.international.gc.ca/media_commerce/comm/news-communiques/2010/183.aspx?lang=eng"

O Canada: Looking north for economic inspiration.

2010-06-02T16:49:00.000-07:00

In an article in the Weekly Standard, executive editor Fred Barnes explains how Canada went from being dubbed an “honorary member of the Third World” in 1995 to an economic model that the troubled US can look to.

It is interesting to note that some of the numbers are off and with regard to Corporate Taxes, the only one that potential investors care about! Canada already has a lower tax regime. Nonetheless, the gist of the article is dead on.

Full article: http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/o-canada

Canada ready to lead the world recovery

2010-04-08T19:57:00.000-07:00

An article from Financial Post by Jayson Myers -

In the run-up to this year's G20 meetings, which Canada will host, Prime Minister Stephen Harper is warning world leaders that economic recovery is by no means fully assured and is asking each one to continue to take steps to stimulate economic growth. Above all, he is urging governments to work together to avoid protectionism and open markets even further to encourage international trade and investment.

Harper's advice reflects his government's priorities, based on the sensible rationale that the private sector economic and job growth needed to sustain economic recovery, depends on access to business and investment opportunities around the world.

From the Canadian point of view, this is self-evident. Exports account for more than half of Canada's industrial output and imports for 30% of total domestic demand. High value jobs in the country depend on the ability of Canadian businesses to expand and find customers for their more-specialized products, services, and technologies around the world. At the same time, they need to attractinvestment and draw on the best of goods and services, skills, knowledge and technologies that international markets have to offer.

Actions have spoken louder than words for the federal government. To encourage business investment, it has cut Canada's federal corporate tax rate. By 2012, the average combined federal and provincial tax rate on business income will fall to 25%. The government has also introduced a two-year depreciation rate for investments in manufacturing equipment and accelerated write-offs forinvestments in clean energy and information technologies. As a result of federal support, value-added consumption taxes will be in place in all but three smaller Canadian provinces by this summer.

In a bold move, Harper's government took the initiative to open Canadian markets to international trade and investment. The recent federal budget eliminated tariffs on all imported machinery and equipment and manufacturing inputs. And the government went further in its plan to loosen investment restrictions in Canada's telecommunications and other regulated services sectors and to improve the tax treatment of foreign venture capital funds invested in Canada.

On the trade front, the Harper government has concluded free trade agreements with Colombia, Peru, Jordan and EFTA, and has launched trade negotiations with the European Union and more than 10 other countries and regional trading blocs. The recent procurement agreement that the Canadian government concluded with the United States will keep provincial and municipal procurement markets in Canada open to U.S. producers in return for exclusions for Canadian manufacturers from Buy American restrictions applied under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It also commits Canada and the United States to enter into negotiations on a more open procurement agreement covering state, provincial and local jurisdictions.

Some economic experts may believe that during this period of fragile markets and dependency on government stimulus, Harper's call for concerted action to liberalize trade may seem altruistic. In the face of continuing overcapacity and intense international competition in many industrial markets, his commitment to open the Canadian economy even further to international trade and investment may even appear naive.

As host of the G20, Prime Minister Harper surely has an obligation to remind world leaders of their commitment not to erect protectionist barriers, but the reality over the past year has been an increasing array of regulatory and procurement restrictions put in place around the world that favour domestic producers. The result -- mounting tensions among governments.

The political stakes in economic recovery are high. As Prime Minister Harper insists, it will take real leadership to overcome the short-term political attractions of protectionism. But, that is what will be required to ensure a sustainable economic recovery.

We know the consequences of a game plan based on restrictive preferences and retaliation. In today's world of internationally-integrated financial markets, supply chains and business operations, jobs cannot be secured anywhere when economic opportunities are being restricted more and more to domestic markets.

Canada and other economies around the world will suffer if Harper's advice is ignored. Yet, my bet is that at the end of the day, the economic advantage will go to those countries that follow our lead.

We are the little country that could, and did. It's time the globe followed our lead as we chart the course to economic renewal and prosperity.

Jayson Myers is president & CEO of Canadian Manufacturers&Exporters, Canada's largest trade and industry association.

Japan Highly Rated (Ahead of China) in 2010 National Opinion Poll - Canadian Views on Asia

2010-03-31T17:34:00.000-07:00

March 29, 2010 - Canadians Are Guarded About Asia, But See the Region as Pivotal to Canada's Prosperity

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada’s 2010 National Opinion Poll aims at evaluating Canadians’ views on Asia. Held approximately every two years since 2004, it is designed to poll perceptions and attitudes of Canadians toward Asia and Canada-Asia relations across the country.

This survey was conducted online by Angus Reid Public Opinion between March 3 and March 10, 2010. 2,903 responses were received for an estimated margin of error of +/- 1.8%,

Japan was consistently rated highest in most categories. Japan was rated amongst the top 3 nations in survey questions when European and North American countries were also included. However, Japan is noticeably missing in some key survey questions.

Detail Commentary on the survey by the sponsors, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, can be found at: http://www.asiapacific.ca/media/press-releases/26671

Full results of the poll can be found at http://www.asiapacific.ca/surveys/national-opinion-polls/2010-national-opinion-poll-canadian-views-asia.

Japan's FDI outlook - Increasing Investment Trends in Canada and North America

2010-03-31T17:14:00.000-07:00

A quarterly report on Japan's FDI outlook presented by the Investment Section of the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo.

Summary

There will continue to be decreased domestic consumption in Japan. Consequently, Japanese industry will continue to increase FDI outside the country. More significantly, an increasing amount of this FDI will be flowing into emerging markets. Japanese companies overall have reduced spending including investment plans but are making new investments in emerging markets where income and purchasing power have been increasing. This analysis is consistent with the recent comments of a number of Japanese investors during meetings organized over the last two months by the Canadian Embassy for DMT Levesque and ADM Sunquist. Canadian investment promotion focus going forward will need to concentrate on retention in such areas as automotive and identification of niche markets in advanced materials and technologies as well as in product mandates for North American production. A recent survey by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) indicated that there were 5 Japanese companies among the 480 surveyed that were actively considering an investment into Canada. The survey also stated that 60 companies (of over 600) indicated that they have plans to increase their production in North America. A follow-up of these potential companies as well as a systematic retention outcall program of the 550 Japanese companies with a presence in Canada will be the main focus of 2010/11 Canadian Embassy in Japan investment promotion program.

KCBA encourages our members and subscribers to read the complete article and provide comments and feedback to the authors at:

http://www.tradecommissioner.gc.ca/eng/document.jsp?did=101695&cid=515&oid=622

Ontario Canada - The Land of Green Energy Investment Opportunities

2010-03-18T17:33:00.000-07:00

Subsidies attract major players in energy sector
Reuters March 10,2010
Ontario is becoming a magnet for global heavy hitters in the green energy sector, drawn by alluring subsidies at a time when incentives are being scaled back elsewhere.

Already this year, two prominent players - South Korea's Samsung C&T Corp. and Bosch Solar Energy AG - have said they will set up shop, and more are expected to follow.

Provincial government support is attractive, but so is the prospect of manufacturing on the doorstep of the United States, one of the fastest- growing markets for producers of power from the sun, wind and biomass.

"People are looking at the North American market as the next growth area," said Mehdi Hosseini, an analyst at FBR Capital Markets in San Francisco.

"In coming to Ontario and setting up manufacturing, the hope is to use that manufacturing and tap into the U.S. market. They will benefit from the Ontario market in the near future and, long term ... the U.S. market," he told Reuters.

Read more:

Ontario land of green opportunity

Japan to push free trade agenda at APEC - The Asahi Shinbun

2010-03-15T22:00:00.000-07:00

According to an article by Shingo Takano in the Asahi Shinbun, Japan will focus on promoting regional trade liberalization and economic growth during its tenure as the chair of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

Senior officials from APEC member countries will meet in Hiroshima on Monday and Tuesday in the first of a series of meetings which will prepare the ground for a summit in Yokohama in November.

Japan plans to propose a new shared vision to allow both industrialized and developing members of the group of 21 Pacific rim nations to grow together, officials said.

For the complete news article visit - http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201002210262.html

Canada is an active member of APEC and various Government of Canada departments are active in over 30 APEC working groups and committees.

Canada currently chairs the APEC Health Task Force, Fisheries Working Group, and Agricultural Technical Cooperation Working Group. For further details of Canada's involvement in APEC activities visit http://www.international.gc.ca/apec/work-travail.aspx

Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman Praises Canada’s Banking System - ノーベル賞受賞者ポールクルーグマンを賞賛、カナダの銀行システム

2010-02-08T16:54:00.000-08:00

Newspaper columnist and Nobel Economics Laureate Paul Krugman in a recent article praised Canada’s financial system because of the strict regulatory framework within which Canadian Banks must function. Canadian financial institutions, for the most part, have avoided the difficulties befallen their US counterparts during this financial crisis. Professor Krugman suggests that the Canadian financial regulatory system could act as a model for the US as it works to strengthen its own.

For the article, see: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/01/opinion/01krugman.html

最近のNYタイムズの記事では、ノーベル経済学賞受賞者と新聞のコラムニスト、ポールクルーグマンは以内にカナダの銀行は機能しなければならないの厳格な規制の枠組みのために、カナダの金融システムを称賛した。

彼は、大部分は、避けてきた問題は、この金融危機の中に、米国側降りかかったはカナダの金融機関を書いている。教授クルーグマンとして、独自の強化に取り組んでは、カナダの金融規制システムは、米国のためのモデルになる可能性を示唆。

記事では、参照してください：http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/01/opinion/01krugman.html