2025 New Year Message from H.E. Ambassador Kanji Yamanouchi
2025/1/1
I wish you all a very happy New Year.
I would like to extend my best wishes for a prosperous and bright new year to everyone.
Looking back to 2024, Canada's female judo Olympian Christa Deguchi won Canada's first-ever Olympic gold medal in judo. Looking at both countries, there was some gratifying news when Dr. Geoffrey Hinton, who is an emeritus professor at the University of Toronto, known as the “godfather of AI,” won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics, and Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) won the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize, respectively. In particular, I paid close attention to the success of Ms. Christa Deguchi, who has deep ties to Japan. In addition, according to a 2024 poll conducted in Canada, the most favourable country for Canadians is Japan. As Ambassador of Japan, I take this as very delightful news.
Looking around the world, various severe situations are occurring in various parts of the world. In the ever-changing global situation, Japan and Canada have been working closely together as extremely important bilateral partners who share fundamental values such as freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, and as G7 members.
Progress in cooperation in the fields of diplomacy, security, politics, economy and cultural exchanges has been confirmed in recent Japan-Canada relations. During the past year, our leaders held three summit meetings and concurred the strengthening of cooperation between both countries in dealing with the Indo-Pacific situation and in economic fields such as electric vehicles and LNG. Our foreign ministers also hold frequent meetings, including mutual visits, and engage in meaningful exchanges of views.
Taking advantage of the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation concerning Battery Supply Chains and the Memorandum of Cooperation on Industrial Science and Technology, such as quantum and artificial intelligence (AI), during the visit of the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan to Ottawa in September 2023, there were various developments regarding investment in Canada by Japanese companies in 2024. For example, as an important initiative in the world's quest to achieve a net-zero society by 2050, Honda’s plan to establish Comprehensive Electric Vehicle Value Chain in Canada, which includes collaboration with Asahi Kasei, is one of the largest investment projects in Canada’s history and has a very significant presence.
Canada will hold the G7 Presidency in 2025, and I expect that Canada will play an even more important role in the rapidly changing international community. The G7 will also be an opportunity for many government officials from Japan, including prime minister and cabinet ministers, to visit Canada. I hope that this opportunity will further deepen the various exchanges between both countries.
In addition, Japan will host the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. Canada will exhibit a wonderful pavilion based on the concept of “Regeneration” and inspired by the onset of spring. The pavilion’s interior will express Canadian’s warmth, openness and optimism, and will allow visitors to discover and experience Canada’s innovation, diversity, and creativity, as well as its commitment to sustainability. The number of tourists from Canada to Japan is increasing every year, and I hope that even more Canadian people will visit Japan. I also hope that this will be the beginning of a new collaboration between Japan and Canada, and that it will further deepen the Japan-Canada relations.
Even in 2025, the Embassy of Japan will work harder to take the Japan-Canada relations to an even higher level.
I would like to extend my best wishes for a prosperous and bright new year to everyone.
Looking back to 2024, Canada's female judo Olympian Christa Deguchi won Canada's first-ever Olympic gold medal in judo. Looking at both countries, there was some gratifying news when Dr. Geoffrey Hinton, who is an emeritus professor at the University of Toronto, known as the “godfather of AI,” won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics, and Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) won the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize, respectively. In particular, I paid close attention to the success of Ms. Christa Deguchi, who has deep ties to Japan. In addition, according to a 2024 poll conducted in Canada, the most favourable country for Canadians is Japan. As Ambassador of Japan, I take this as very delightful news.
Looking around the world, various severe situations are occurring in various parts of the world. In the ever-changing global situation, Japan and Canada have been working closely together as extremely important bilateral partners who share fundamental values such as freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, and as G7 members.
Progress in cooperation in the fields of diplomacy, security, politics, economy and cultural exchanges has been confirmed in recent Japan-Canada relations. During the past year, our leaders held three summit meetings and concurred the strengthening of cooperation between both countries in dealing with the Indo-Pacific situation and in economic fields such as electric vehicles and LNG. Our foreign ministers also hold frequent meetings, including mutual visits, and engage in meaningful exchanges of views.
Taking advantage of the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation concerning Battery Supply Chains and the Memorandum of Cooperation on Industrial Science and Technology, such as quantum and artificial intelligence (AI), during the visit of the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan to Ottawa in September 2023, there were various developments regarding investment in Canada by Japanese companies in 2024. For example, as an important initiative in the world's quest to achieve a net-zero society by 2050, Honda’s plan to establish Comprehensive Electric Vehicle Value Chain in Canada, which includes collaboration with Asahi Kasei, is one of the largest investment projects in Canada’s history and has a very significant presence.
Canada will hold the G7 Presidency in 2025, and I expect that Canada will play an even more important role in the rapidly changing international community. The G7 will also be an opportunity for many government officials from Japan, including prime minister and cabinet ministers, to visit Canada. I hope that this opportunity will further deepen the various exchanges between both countries.
In addition, Japan will host the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. Canada will exhibit a wonderful pavilion based on the concept of “Regeneration” and inspired by the onset of spring. The pavilion’s interior will express Canadian’s warmth, openness and optimism, and will allow visitors to discover and experience Canada’s innovation, diversity, and creativity, as well as its commitment to sustainability. The number of tourists from Canada to Japan is increasing every year, and I hope that even more Canadian people will visit Japan. I also hope that this will be the beginning of a new collaboration between Japan and Canada, and that it will further deepen the Japan-Canada relations.
Even in 2025, the Embassy of Japan will work harder to take the Japan-Canada relations to an even higher level.