Following Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to Japan and talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, a joint statement on Canada-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership was issued and a new Canada-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Roadmap was agreed. While energy was only one of many areas covered, nuclear power was mentioned.
The joint statement covered six broad areas: enhanced security and defence cooperation, which was clearly a priority; critical minerals & strategic supply chains; trade & investment; energy security & food security; arctic, environment & climate cooperation; and people‑to‑people, academic & cultural exchanges.
As to energy security, the focus was on long-term stability and sustainability to:
- broaden and deepen cooperation in the field of energy, continue cooperation on energy policy, diversify energy resources, and expand trade and investment to support secure energy supply chains;
- advance collaboration on conventional energy, including liquefied natural gas and liquified petroleum gas, recognising the important role that these fuels will play in energy security and the energy transition; and
- enhance cooperation on clean energy technologies, including nuclear technologies, (particularly small modular reactors), hydrogen and its derivatives, carbon capture, utilisation, and storage, renewables, and energy-efficient industrial processes.
The four memoranda of co-operation signed did not relate to energy.
The roadmap says that “recognising the importance of energy security and food security in an era of heightened geopolitical uncertainty” the two countries will “enhance cooperation on clean energy technologies, including nuclear technologies, (particularly small modular reactors), hydrogen and its derivatives, carbon capture, utilisation, and storage, renewables, and energy-efficient industrial processes”.
According to the Japanese Foreign Ministry: “On the economic front, Prime Minister Takaichi welcomed the concrete progress in the energy sector, including the start of the production of LNG Canada for Asia and the commencement of the construction of a small modular reactor (SMR) in Ontario.”
At a joint press conference following the talks, Carney said: “Japan is a trusted partner and a global leader in innovation, technology, and advanced manufacturing. Together, we are strengthening our economic security, securing resilient supply chains in critical minerals and clean energy, and deepening security and defence cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
Takaichi said: “Canada is an important partner for Japan in advancing cooperation in the field of economic security … Canada’s abundant natural resources and Japan’s technological capabilities are complementary, and concrete projects involving companies from both countries are steadily progressing. For example, production at LNG Canada, which is of great significance for Japan’s energy security, began last year, and construction of a small modular reactor – the first of its kind in the G7 – also began in Ontario. In addition, projects related to critical minerals such as graphite are under way.”
