Press Releases

1. On September 21st (the same date in Ottawa time), in Ottawa, Canada, Mr. Nishimura Yasutoshi, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, who is visiting Canada, and H.E. Mr. Yamanouchi Kanji, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Canada, signed the Memorandum of Cooperation concerning Battery Supply Chains with the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry of Canada, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, and the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Canada.
2. This Memorandum of Cooperation is a comprehensive memorandum of cooperation on battery supply chains which covers from upstream to downstream. This is the first time in Japan's history that a memorandum of cooperation concerning battery supply chains has been signed, and Canada is the first country in the world with which Japan signs such a memorandum of cooperation. Based on this Memorandum of Cooperation, Japan intends to facilitate the entry of Japanese companies into Canada and aims to establish sustainable and reliable battery supply chains between Japan and Canada.
3. Based on this Memorandum of Cooperation, Japan and Canada will cooperate in the following areas in order to establish sustainable and reliable battery supply chains from the perspective of carbon neutrality and economic security:
   1. Promoting existing publicly available support in both countries for investment and projects in Canada by Japanese companies;
   2. Promoting mutual understanding between Japanese companies and relevant regulatory authorities in Canada;
   3. Promoting the establishment of meaningful relationships between Japanese companies and Indigenous peoples in Canada;
   4. Collaboration in times of emergency in battery supply chains, including with respect to critical minerals;
   5. Promoting the use of renewable energy in battery supply chains; and
   6. Discussing international standards, such as on carbon footprint calculation, etc.

[Reference]

• Memorandum of Cooperation text (Japanese / English / French) (PDF)