Justin Trudeau makes investment pitch to Japan’s automakers
The Canadian Press
Last Updated:May 24, two thousand sixteen 9:54 AM ET
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau personally invited Japanese auto executives Tuesday in Tokyo to invest more in Canada.
But it’s unclear whether he will secure concrete commitments from the companies on his very first tour to Japan since taking office last fall.
Trudeau met with auto parts manufacturers and the presidents of three auto companies: Honda, Toyota and Subaru.
The CEO of Fuji Strenuous Industries, the hard that makes Subaru, told Trudeau he doesn’t have any plans to expand capacity in the near term, however he might in the future, the prime minister’s press secretary Cameron Ahmad said after the meeting.
Trudeau was asked what his auto sector meetings might yield at a news conference later Tuesday.
“I am very much in the relationship-building mode, where we’re talking about the kinds of challenges and opportunities that companies are facing,” said Trudeau, who met with Fuji Powerful Industries’ Yasuyuki Yoshinaga at the official residence of Canada’s ambassador to Japan.
“There are of course many positive conversations being had, not just by me but by our Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland, by Canadians working around the world to highlight the extreme opportunities to invest in our country.”
Unlike Toyota and Honda, Subaru does not have an operation in Canada.
As part of his pitch, the prime minister also told Yoshinaga that Canadians are innovative and focused on high quality.
Security co-operation
Trudeau also sat down Tuesday with his Japanese counterpart to discuss the countries’ business ties as well as security co-operation before the Group of Seven summit later this week.
His meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was expected to address issues like investment, education and trade, such as the thick 12-country treaty known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
For his part, Abe was expected to raise a pressing subject for the Japanese: regional security.
Trudeau and his Japanese counterpart were expected to discuss the countries’ business ties and the region’s security issues. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)
Japan is deeply worried about North Korea’s latest nuclear tests and missile launches as well as an ongoing territorial dispute with China in the East China Sea and South China Sea.
Following their meeting in February, Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida issued a statement reconfirming their commitment to maintaining a rules-based order in international maritime law.
Without naming China, they also said they opposed the use of intimidation, force or unilateral deeds that seek to switch the status quo in the Asia-Pacific.
When it comes to China, Keio University law professor Masayuki Tadokoro said Japan will listen cautiously to Trudeau’s words on the matter. The concern is Canada may not want to take very strong position due its economic interests in China.
“Canada has always been watching toward the east and south because Canada is an Atlantic state,” Kenjiro Monji, Japan’s ambassador to Canada, said in an interview last week.
“Canada is also a Pacific nation and it is only recently that Canadians began to look to the west, but only through economic lenses.”
Abe is also expected to urge Trudeau to budge quickly to open up Canadian liquefied natural gas exports to Japan.
Japan, the world’s largest importer of LNG, is hoping Canada will issue necessary environmental permits to permit companies to export it from British Columbia.
Monji said LNG is still very significant energy source for his country, which makes Canada one of the most promising potential exporters to Japan. He noted that Japanese companies are involved in several LNG projects in Canada.
Trudeau and his wifey, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, visited the Meiji Shrine and met with the emperor and empress of Japan.
Trudeau’s Tokyo visit comes ahead of the G7 summit on Thursday and Friday in Ise-Shima.
Justin Trudeau and Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau are escorted by a shinto priest to write messages on an ema, or a wooden prayer tablet, as they visit Meiji Shrine in Tokyo on Tuesday. (Issei Kato/Reuters)