Japan-Canada Economic Security Symposium
2026/10/16
On October 16th, the Consulate-General of Japan in Calgary hosted a Japan-Canada Economic Security Symposium, co-organized with the Canadian Global Affairs Institute (CGAI). This symposium was made possible with the cooperation of Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP; Energy for a Secure Future; and the Northern Nations Cooperative.
With over 70 attendees, including provincial government officials, energy industry representatives, and experts, Professor Kazuto Suzuki, a leading expert on economic security from the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) and Director of the Institute of Geoeconomics, delivered a keynote address. Through this address, discussions were held on the growing importance of economic security, geoeconomics, and energy cooperation between Canada and Japan at a time of rising global instability.
In his opening remarks, Consul-General Takehiko Wajima highlighted the increasingly complex and unpredictable international situation. He emphasized that Canada—which shares Japan’s fundamental values —is a highly reliable partner, and that the current complex global environment presents an excellent opportunity to further strengthen the cooperative relationship between the two nations.
During his keynote address, Professor Suzuki emphasized the importance of diversifying supply chains with trusted, law-abiding partners to mitigate risks in an unpredictable international environment, while explaining the significance of building bargaining power by becoming "indispensable" in those supply chains. Regarding the future outlook of Japan-Canada relations, he proposed that both nations lead a "middle-power coalition" to champion the rules-based international order. As a key means to achieve this, he stressed the importance of both countries exercising joint leadership to promote and expand the CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership).
The symposium concluded successfully with a lively Q&A session, during which a wide range of questions were raised, with a particular focus on energy security.
With over 70 attendees, including provincial government officials, energy industry representatives, and experts, Professor Kazuto Suzuki, a leading expert on economic security from the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) and Director of the Institute of Geoeconomics, delivered a keynote address. Through this address, discussions were held on the growing importance of economic security, geoeconomics, and energy cooperation between Canada and Japan at a time of rising global instability.
In his opening remarks, Consul-General Takehiko Wajima highlighted the increasingly complex and unpredictable international situation. He emphasized that Canada—which shares Japan’s fundamental values —is a highly reliable partner, and that the current complex global environment presents an excellent opportunity to further strengthen the cooperative relationship between the two nations.
During his keynote address, Professor Suzuki emphasized the importance of diversifying supply chains with trusted, law-abiding partners to mitigate risks in an unpredictable international environment, while explaining the significance of building bargaining power by becoming "indispensable" in those supply chains. Regarding the future outlook of Japan-Canada relations, he proposed that both nations lead a "middle-power coalition" to champion the rules-based international order. As a key means to achieve this, he stressed the importance of both countries exercising joint leadership to promote and expand the CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership).
The symposium concluded successfully with a lively Q&A session, during which a wide range of questions were raised, with a particular focus on energy security.
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