TOKYO \u2013 Record participation in a team-Canada trade mission to Japan has resulted in more than $1 billion in commercial investments signed between Canadian and Japanese companies.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu beamed as he watched executives from more than a dozen companies participate in signing ceremonies. <\/p>\n
Sidhu said the historic trade mission has delivered \u201clandmark results\u201d resulting in over $1.7 billion in commercial deals \u2013 a new record for a Canadian trade mission.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is trade diversification in action. Canadian businesses are signing real agreements and opening new markets and deepening our partnership with Japan,\u201d Sidhu said in a statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cI could not be prouder of what they have accomplished this week.\u201d<\/p>\n
Three hundred business leaders from 175 Canadian corporations traveled to Tokyo to explore partnerships with the Japanese. Global Affairs Canada said it was the most delegates present for a trade mission in Asia ever, and second worldwide to an event in Mexico earlier this year.<\/p>\n
The companies that signed up for the Tokyo trip were from the AI, agriculture, clean energy and softwood lumber industries.<\/p>\n
The federal government facilitated matchmaking events with investors in boardrooms and cocktail receptions. A small army of interpreters, mostly women, stood near discussion tables ready to translate if pulled into a conversation. Panel discussions with executives who had expanded their companies into Japan were also organized.<\/p>\n
Denise Miura, who runs the Japan division of Canadian software company OpenText was one of the corporate ambassadors presenting to delegates.<\/p>\n
CTV National News: Canada’s biggest Asia trade mission to date puts defence in focus More than 300 Canadian business leaders are at Canada’s largest trade mission in Asia with a focus on defence industry opportunities. Judy Trinh reports. <\/p>\n
OpenText is Canada\u2019s largest enterprise software company and employs more than 300 people in Tokyo. It also has more than 2,500 corporate customers in Japan, including automakers and defence manufacturers.<\/p>\n
Miura says that she has heard from global clients who want to diversify away from both the United States and China. She says both Japan and Canada have emerged as the \u201ctop desirable trading partners because they are trustworthy and have a shared value system.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey behave like adults in the room and you\u2019re not seeing that a lot these days,\u201d said Miura, the president of OpenText Japan, from her Tokyo office.<\/p>\n
In her panel, Miura spoke about the Japanese approach, which she said requires a lot of due diligence and attention to detail.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I have colleagues who are frustrated because a request may seen nonsensical in the context of their normal business day but makes sense on the ground here \u2013 I always remind them, the trains always run on time in Japan.\u201d<\/p>\n
The largest group of participants on team Canada came from the defence and security sector. Both Canada and Japan are under pressure to spend more on the military. Canada has committed to a new NATO target of spending five per cent of GDP on defence by 2035. The Defence Investment Strategy<\/a> calls for Canada to partner with allied nations like Japan to build up its military industrial capabilities.<\/p>\n
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Canada trade with Japan news Alexandra Petre is the CEO of Deep Sky, a Canadian carbon capture firm. Deep Sky, Blackberry sign deals<\/p>\n