Japan-Canada Relations
Japan-Canada Summit Telephone Talk
On March 6, commencing at 11:05 a.m. for approximately 40 minutes, Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, held a telephone talk with the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada. The overview of the telephone talk is as follows.
1. Prime Minister Trudeau said that he highly values the leadership of Prime Minister Abe to date in the lead-up to the signing of the TPP. In response, Prime Minister Abe said that the participation by Canada in the TPP would be truly encouraging. The two leaders shared the view that they would continue to cooperate closely after the signing of the TPP, and would work together to expand the free trade zone.
2. Regarding North Korea, Prime Minister Abe said that, despite the ongoing inter-Korean dialogue, international society should not be blinded by North Korea’s “charm offensive” and maintain the policy of strengthening pressure on North Korea, that he hopes to cooperate with Canada on responses to North Korea’s sanctions evasion including “ship-to-ship transfers,” and that he intends to send a strong message toward the denuclearization of North Korea on the occasion of the G7 Charlevoix Summit. In response, Prime Minister Trudeau said that the issue of North Korea is important and that he expects to hold discussions on the issue at the G7 Summit.
Furthermore, the two leaders shared the view that they will continue to cooperate for the success of the G7 Summit.
3. The two leaders also held an exchange of views on other matters related to trade, including the survey on imports of steel and aluminum based on Section 232 of the U.S. Trade Expansion Act, and confirmed that they will continue to coordinate closely.