Ambassador Kawamura’s lecture at the Prince Takamado Japan Centre of the University of Alberta
On February 8, 2022, H.E. Ambassador KAWAMURA Yasuhisa gave a lecture entitled “Japan-Canada Strategic Partnership for ‘Build Back Better’ at the Prince Takamado Japan Centre of the University of Alberta. He was invited as a guest speaker to the East Asia class of Dr. Aya Fujiwara, the Director of the Prince Takamado Japan Centre.
The virtual lecture was attended by students and lecturers from five universities in the Prairies, namely the universities of Alberta, Calgary, Lethbridge, Saskatchewan, and Regina.
Ambassador Kawamura’s lecture discussed the strategic partnership between Japan and Canada to ‘build back better’ in the post-pandemic era and cooperation between the two countries on the vision for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP).
He reminded the audience that Japan and Canada are “likeminded partners” that have worked closely together in international forums like G7 and on major issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic and aiming to ‘build back better’ for the post-pandemic recovery.
The Ambassador discussed Japan’s vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP), which seeks to achieve peace and stability in the region through the rules-based international order. He explained the six priority areas for Japan-Canada cooperation for realization of FOIP, with a special focus on three areas which are of special relevance to the Prairie provinces – energy security, free trade promotion and trade agreement implementation, and environment and climate change. Ambassador Kawamura specifically discussed cooperation between Japan and the Prairies under the FOIP vision, in areas such as agriculture and natural resources.
Ambassador Kawamura concluded his lecture by emphasizing that “acting together is power”.
Ambassador Kawamura delivering his lecture