Embassy of Japan in Canada

Ambassador Okuda’s Official Visit to Quebec

Ambassador Okuda made an official visit to the Province of Quebec from February 12th to 15th, 2014.

In the Provincial capital, Quebec City, Ambassador Okuda met a number of dignitaries including the Honourable Pierre Duchesne, Lieutenant Governor, Mrs. Pauline Marois, Premier of Quebec, Mr. Jacques Chagnon, President of the National Assembly, Mr. Jean-François Lisée, Minister of International Relations, la Francophone and External Trade, and Mr. Pierre Duchesne, Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology. He also visited a Japanese language class at the University of Laval and met respectively with Japanese community and the representatives from the University of Laval. Mrs. Okuda visited the Ecole Secondaire de Rochebell where she met with teachers and students who are going to visit Japan this March within the framework of the KAKEHASHI Project, Japan-Canada Youth Exchange program. She also visited expositions at the Musée de la Civilisation in Quebec.

After Quebec City, Ambassador and Mrs. Okuda visited Montreal. Ambassador Okuda paid a courtesy call to Mr. Denis Coderre, Mayor of Montreal, and to Mr. Jean Charest, former Premier of Quebec. He also met with former JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme) participants as well as academics and visited a Japanese company. Mrs. Okuda visited Montreal Japanese Canadian Cultural Center and Château Ramezey Museum.

During this official visit, which took place just after the visit of Minister Jean-François Lisée to Japan in January, strong expectations to further strengthen the relationship between the Province of Quebec and Japan were expressed from various quarters. For instance, on March 13th, a motion to commemorate 40th anniversary of the General Delegation of Quebec in Tokyo was unanimously adopted at the National Assembly in the presence of Ambassador Okuda.

Ambassador Okuda reaffirmed, through this official visit, the weight of the history and the intellectual depth of the cooperation and exchanges between the Province of Quebec and Japan. At the same time, he realized a high potential to further promote this relationship. The Embassy will make every effort to meet the high interest and the great expectations expressed by the Province and realize further cooperation in various fields between the Province of Quebec and Japan.

With Mrs. Pauline Marois, Premier of Quebec

With Mr. Jacques Chagnon, President of the National Assembly