Meeting between Mr. Chiaki Takahashi, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, and H.E. Mr. Jonathan Fried, Ambassador of Canada to Japan

March 17, 2011
Japanese

Today (Thursday, March 17), Mr. Chiaki Takahashi, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, met with H.E. Mr. Jonathan Fried, Ambassador of Canada to Japan.
Ambassador Fried expressed his condolences for those who suffered from the Tohoku - Pacific Ocean Earthquake. He stated that the Government of Canada was ready to extend all possible assistance to Japan, and handed over a letter stating that the Government of Canada presented some 25,000 blankets as its first relief supplies.
In response, Mr. Takahashi expressed his gratitude for messages of sympathy and condolences from H. E. the Rt. Hon. David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, the Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, and the Hon. Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada as well as offers of assistance from an early stage. He also thanked for a large number of blankets for those suffered in the cold areas. He appreciated the Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada for calling upon the Canadian people to provide support, and expressed determination of the Government of Japan to do its utmost effort to overcome this difficulty together with the people of Japan, under the leadership of Prime Minister Kan.

(*This is a provisional translation. The above date denotes the date of the issue of the original press release in Japanese.)

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