Countries & Regions

For approximately 30 minutes from 2:30 p.m. on June 17 (Monday local time), Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a summit meeting with Rt Hon Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, on the sidelines of the Group of Eight (G8) Summit in Lough Erne, Northern Ireland. An outline of the meeting is as follows:

1. Overview of Japan-Canada Relations

   Prime Minister Abe opened the meeting by saying he was pleased to have the opportunity, once again, to work with Prime Minister Harper. Noting that Japan and Canada are partners in the Asia-Pacific region and share fundamental values, he said Japan hopes to promote cooperation on economic and security challenges facing the two countries as well as issues concerning the Asia-Pacific region. Recalling that Prime Minister Harper called for Japan's accession to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction when the two leaders held their first meeting in 2006, Prime Minister Abe said legislation for Japan's accession to the convention was approved by the Diet, or parliament, in May and legislation laying down procedures for the enforcement of the convention was enacted on June 12. In reply, Prime Minister Harper said he was glad to meet with Prime Minister Abe for the first time since they met at the 2007 Heiligendamm Summit in Germany, and to be updated on the Hague convention.

2. Economy

   Prime Minister Abe said that Japan will participate in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations in July and hopes to expand trade and investment through the TPP and the Japan-Canada Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and so forth. He also expressed his hope that stable exports of reasonably priced Canadian liquefied national gas (LNG) to Japan will start as early as possible following progress in the development of related infrastructure. Prime Minister Harper said he shares Prime Minister Abe's view about the TPP and the Japan-Canada EPA. Regarding LNG, he said projects are currently under way and he hopes progress will be made as Prime Minster Abe wishes. Prime Minister Harper also said he is very interested in Japan's economic program, which he called a very aggressive policy, and wishes the country success. He added that he has been looking forward to hearing Prime Minister Abe’s explanation about the program at the G8 Summit.

3. Security

   Prime Minister Abe said his government places great value on security cooperation with Canada in view of the increasingly severe security environment in the Asia-Pacific region. He said his administration would like to arrange the next Japan-Canada vice minister-level "2 plus 2" dialogue on foreign and defense affairs and accelerate negotiations on concluding an Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) between the two countries. In reply, Prime Minister Harper said he would like to move things forward as Prime Minister Abe hopes.

4. Cooperation on the Arctic

   Prime Minister Abe said Japan hopes to actively promote cooperation with Canada on issues related to the Arctic, noting that Canada holds the chairmanship of the Arctic Council. Japan would like to start by strengthening discussions between the related authorities of the two countries, he added. Prime Minister Harper agreed.

5. Regional Situation

   The two leaders exchanged views on the situation in Syria as well as the state of affairs in the Asia-Pacific region, including issues related to China and North Korea.