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Talks between Mr. Koichiro Gemba, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway of Canada

September 30, 2011
Japanese

1. For about 25 minutes from 5:10 p.m., on September 30 (JST), Mr. Koichiro Gemba, Minister for Foreign Affairs, held talks with the Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway of Canada, who is visiting Japan for the signing ceremony of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) (provisional title).
   
   
2. At the start of the meeting, Minister Gemba stated Minister Fast’s visit to Sendai on that day and expressed his gratitude for the support and friendship received from Canada following the Great East Japan Earthquake, in particular, for the fact that Canada lifted additional import restrictions it has imposed on food products from Japan following the nuclear accidents, ahead of other countries. He also stated that he would like to further strengthen bilateral economic relations.
   
   
3. Minister Fast, after expressing his impression of Sendai, he stated that strengthening bilateral economic relations with Japan is one of the highest priority matters for Canada, and he would like to complete the joint study on the Japan-Canada Economic Partnership Agreement as soon as possible and to move forward to launch a negotiation. In response, Minister Gemba stated that while taking into consideration the status of reconstruction from the earthquake, he would like to complete the joint study as soon as possible and make efforts to start a negotiation. Both ministers also exchanged views on the state of economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.
   
   
4. Minister Fast requested the relaxing of import regulations on Canadian beef, and Minister Gemba replied that he would like to continue discussion to resolve this matter in a mutually acceptable manner. In addition, both ministers welcomed the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of Canada on Cooperation in Science and Technology.

• (The foregoing is a provisional translation. The date indicated above denotes the date of issue of the original press release in Japanese.)

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