Japan-Canada Relations
Foreign Minister KAMIKAWA Yoko’s Luncheon Meeting with local Japanese Canadian leaders
and visit to the Montreal Hoshuko School
January 13, 2024
On January 13 (local time), Ms. KAMIKAWA Yoko, Minister for Foreign Affairs, who was visiting Montreal, Canada, held a luncheon meeting with local Japanese Canadian leaders and visited the Montreal Hoshuko School. The overview is as follows.
1. Luncheon Meeting with local Japanese Canadian Leaders
- Minister Kamikawa expressed her respect for Japanese Canadians who overcame numerous hardships and difficulties and currently making great contributions in various fields. She also expressed her appreciation for the role that the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre of Montreal has been playing in introducing, popularizing, and promoting understanding of Japanese culture and preserving the history of the Japanese Canadian community.
- Minister Kamikawa also expressed her hope that the Japanese Canadian Leader Invitation Program will further strengthen relations with the Japanese Canadian community and promote next-generation leaders, thereby building a more vibrant local Japanese Canadian community.
- The Japanese Canadian leaders explained their community activities and expressed their passion for working as a bridge between Canada and Japan to further enhance friendly relations between the two countries. Minister Kamikawa and the participants exchanged their views in a relaxed atmosphere. They also held a lively discussion on how they can fully use the Cultural Centre and information technologies to enable Japanese who newly moved or migrated to Canada to better connect with the local Japanese Canadian community.
2. Visit to the Montreal Hoshuko School
Minister Kamikawa visited the Montreal Hoshuko School and observed classes such as a Japanese calligraphy lesson for Grade 8. Minister Kamikawa also exchanged views on Japanese language and cultural education at the Hoshuko school with the school representatives.