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Japan-Canada Summit Meeting Overview

June 25, 2002

1. Date and Venue

Tuesday, June 25, 2002, from 16:00 for about 30 minutes (in Kananaskis)

2. Attendees

Representing Canada:
Prime Minister Jean Chrétien; Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister Percy Down; Foreign Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister and Assistant Secretary of Foreign and Defense Policy Claude Laverdure; and Personal Representative of the Prime Minister for the G8 Summit and Personal Representative of the Prime Minister for Africa Robert Fowler, and others.

Representing Japan:
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi; Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe; Ambassador of Japan to Canada Kensaku Hogen; Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Toshiyuki Takano; Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Shotaro Oshima; and Director-General of the North American Affairs Bureau Ichiro Fujisaki, and others.

3. Overview

(1) Japan-Canada Relations

  1. Both leaders confirmed that the relationship between Japan and Canada is excellent.
  2. Prime Minister Koizumi stated that Japan and Canada have agreed to work toward an agreement in the area of competition policy and that the two countries will discuss what they could cooperate toward a social security agreement.
  3. Prime Minister Chrétien invited Prime Minister Koizumi to pay an official visit to Ottawa in early 2003. In response, Prime Minister Koizumi stated that he would like to consider this invitation.
  4. As for the Japanese economy, Prime Minister Koizumi stated that regardless of observations arguing that his administration might reach an impasse due to the financial crisis and growing unemployment, the Japanese economy has bottomed out and will hopefully achieve positive growth by 2003. To this end, the Prime Minister stated that he would continue to implement structural reforms.
  5. Prime Minister Chrétien replied that the Canadian economy is in good condition and its growth rate during the first quarter of 2002 marked 6% on an annualized basis. Prime Minister Chrétien also mentioned that, during the same quarter, Canada created the largest number of jobs in 20 years and has succeeded to maintain a fiscal surplus for five years.

(2) Summit (Assistance in Africa)

  1. Prime Minister Koizumi stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Chrétien, the topic of Africa was included in the agenda and the G8 could thus show their attention toward developing countries. In response, Prime Minister Chrétien stated that the inclusion of Africa in the agenda has improved the atmosphere of the Summit from last year.
  2. Prime Minister Chrétien stated that, while he understood the difficulty to convene new economic assistance under the severe Japanese economy, he asked for Japan's continuous attention towards Africa. Prime Minister Koizumi replied that while Japan reduced its ODA budget by 10% under its severe fiscal conditions, he recognized the importance of economic assistance. He further mentioned that Japan will review its budget rather than reducing it in the future and consider what kind of effective assistance could be carried out. Prime Minister Chrétien said that African countries that are making efforts in improving their political systems and making other improvements should be provided with economic assistance. Prime Minister Koizumi stated that he agreed with the Prime Minister's idea and expressed his hope to promote self-help of the African countries so that these countries could develop through their own capacities. He also stated that he would like to consider what areas should be prioritized in Africa.
  3. Finally, Prime Minister Koizumi stated that he would like to cooperate towards the success of the Summit.

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