Event Date: March 7, 2019 - 1:30pm to 3:00pm
Location: Faculty of Social Science, 120 University Private, FSS4006, Ottawa
Presented by CIPS
As Japan and Canada celebrate the 90th anniversary of their diplomatic relations, it is high time for the two countries to harness the vast potential of this natural alliance of common values and interests. Many developments are already being witnessed in recent months, such as entering into force of the CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership), the final investment decision of LNG Canada for a LNG project in which a Japanese company participates, signing of the bilateral Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) which will allow the two defense services to make use of each other’s equipment and services and strengthen cooperation, and enhanced collaboration between the two countries in the Indo-Pacific, including in efforts to counter North Korea’s maritime smuggling. Indeed, PM Shinzo Abe and PM Justin Trudeau, when they most recently met in Papua New Guinea last November, discussed the importance of keeping the Indo-Pacific region free, open and rules-based, and further enhancing Japan-Canada strategic cooperation. How to put this strategic cooperation into “action” in many areas including security, defense and economy in this increasingly unpredictable world is a timely question which should be addressed by experts of the two countries
Ambassador Kimihiro Ishikane has been Japans Ambassador to Canada since November 2017. In 1981 he graduated from the Faculty of Law , Tokyo University. Shortly after he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since then he has held various distinguished position including: Counsellor, Embassy of Japan, France (1998), Minister, Embassy of Japan, United States (2005), Executive Assistant to the Prime Minister (2007), Deputy Director-General, Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau (2009). He has also acted as the Ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Director General of the International Cooperation Bureau (2014) and the Oceanian Affairs Bureau (2015). He was the Deputy Vice Minister for Foreign Policy before his posting in Canada.