Press Releases
Signing of the Japan-Canada Memorandum of Cooperation on Assisting Japanese and Canadian Nationals Abroad
March 4, 2026
On March 4, ahead of the visit of the Right Honourable Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, to Japan, Mr. MOTEGI Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, and His Excellency Mr. Ian G. McKay, Ambassador of Canada to Japan and Special Envoy for the Indo-Pacific, signed Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development of Canada on Assisting Japanese and Canadian Nationals Abroad (Memorandum).
- Japan and Canada have strengthened their coordination in the evacuation of their nationals from abroad during crises, based on their cooperation in evacuating their nationals from the Lebanese Republic in 2006, the Republic of the Sudan in 2023 and the Republic of Haiti in 2024. With this background, and in light of their close and steadfast partnership, both sides decided to sign the Memorandum as a framework to further facilitate cooperation in assisting their nationals abroad in crises.
- Under this Memorandum, both sides will share information in peace time, which is expected to contribute significantly to ensuring the safety of Japanese nationals during crises, as the Memorandum provides a foundation for further facilitating smooth cooperation in times of crises.
- At the signing ceremony, Foreign Minister Motegi had a brief meeting with Ambassador McKay, during which they confirmed their cooperation to ensure the success of Prime Minister Carney’s visit later this week.