Chapter 2 Resilient and Unwavering Regional Diplomacy Section 3 North America 1 Overview Currently, the international community is at a turning point in history. The international community is becoming increasingly divided and confrontational as seen in the escalation of tensions over Israel and Palestine and Russia's continued aggression against Ukraine. In addition, the security environment surrounding Japan is becoming increasingly severe, as evidenced by North Korea's launch of ballistic missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM)-class, and continued and strengthened unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force in the East China Sea and South China Sea, which greatly increases the importance of solidarity with allies and like-minded countries, including the G7, that share fundamental values and principles. The United States (U.S.) is Japan's only ally. The strong Japan-U.S. Alliance is the linchpin of Japan's foreign and security policy, and the foundation of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. It is also essential to have cooperation with Canada, a member of the G7 and Japan's important partner in the Indo-Pacific region that shares universal values. Cooperation with these countries, based on the relationships of trust that Japan has built over the years, is essential to maintaining peace and stability in the region and the international community. In 2022, the U.S. announced its Indo-Pacific Strategy and National Security Strategy, which outlines its commitment to tackling various challenges facing the international community in cooperation with allies and like-minded countries, including Japan. The U.S. is actively engaged in diplomatic activities based on these strategies. In February, President Joseph Biden paid a surprise visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, and in October, he visited the Middle East, including Israel, in response to the terror attacks by Hamas and others. Meanwhile, the U.S. served as the chair of APEC in 2023, and in November it invited leaders and ministers from various countries to San Francisco for summit meetings, ministerial meetings, as well as a Japan-U.S. Summit Meeting, and a U.S.-China Summit Meeting. Moreover, 2023 was also a year in which the U.S. further strengthened its cooperation with like-minded countries, as symbolized by the G7 Hiroshima Summit in May and the Japan-U.S.- Republic of Korea (ROK) Summit held in August, when President Biden invited foreign leaders to Camp David for the first time. 2023 was a year in which Canada further accelerated its efforts to achieve the Indo-Pacific Strategy, announced in 2022. In April, Canada appointed Ambassador to Japan Ian McKay as its Special Envoy to the Indo-Pacific, and has been actively pursuing diplomacy with ASEAN and Pacific Island countries. Based on this Strategy, Canada also further strengthened its engagement in the region by increasing the presence of the Canadian Armed Forces even more in the region and, in terms of economic and people-to-people exchanges, promoting the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and strengthening cooperation with ASEAN. In October, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly gave a speech on foreign policy, stating that Canada's geographic location can no longer be relied upon to protect, and that it is important to address various threats, such as digital and informational threats. She also stated that Canada would place emphasis on (1) increasing investment in the military, (2) cooperation with the U.S., (3) cooperation with NATO and Europe, (4) Indo-Pacific policy, (5) Arctic policy, and (6) countering foreign interference in its domestic affairs. In particular, she emphasized that Canada should build as close ties with Japan and the ROK as its traditional relationships with the UK, France, Germany, and Italy, and that it would invest in relations with ASEAN, demonstrating its continued emphasis on engagement in the Indo-Pacific region. Against this backdrop, 2023 was a year of further deepening relations between Japan and the U.S. and Canada. With the U.S. as Japan's only ally, the Japan-U.S. relationship is stronger and deeper than ever before, with multilayered cooperation in all areas, not just security and economy. Between January 2023 and the end of January 2024, Japan and the U.S. were in constant communication and cooperating at all levels, including holding four summit meetings and nine foreign ministers' meetings (including two telephone calls), in an effort to maintain peace and stability in the region and the international community. Cooperation between Japan and the U.S. is becoming broader and stronger, as seen in the issuance of the Japan-U.S. Joint Statement at the Japan-U.S. Summit Meeting in January and the invitation from President Biden to Prime Minister Kishida during the Japan-U.S. Summit Meeting held in San Francisco in November to pay an Official Visit with State Dinner in early 2024. Japan and the U.S. will continue to cooperate with each other, including within multilateral frameworks such as between Japan-U.S.-ROK, to strengthen Japan-U.S. security cooperation and uphold and bolster the economic order in the Indo-Pacific region. In addition, between January 2023 and the end of January 2024, Japan and Canada held three summit meetings and five foreign ministers' meetings. Based on the “Japan-Canada Action Plan for Contributing to a Free and Open Indo-Pacific Region” announced in October 2022, progress has been made in numerous efforts toward realizing a FOIP, including responding to illegal ship-to-ship transfers1 and conducting joint exercises. Japan and Canada also signed two memorandums of cooperation on the battery supply chain and industrial science and technology. Furthermore, Japan-Canada relations have been further strengthened through the visit by Canada Trade Mission (“Team Canada”) to Japan and the promotion of a wide range of diplomatic initiatives, including the CPTPP. 1 In this context, “ship-to-ship transfers” refers to the transfers to or from North Korea-flagged vessels of any goods or items at sea, which UN Security Council resolution 2375 (adopted in September 2017) prohibits the UN member states from facilitating or engaging in.