Canada and Japan Launch Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
A new roadmap was established to set the stage for deeper cooperation on trade, investment, supply chains, critical minerals, energy, food security, and technology.
On March 6, 2026, Canada and Japan announced the launch of a new Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during a summit meeting between Prime Minister Mark Carney and Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae in Tokyo.
The two leaders established the Canada-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Roadmap, which provides direction for future cooperation across six formal priority areas, as follows:
Japan is one of the world’s largest economies and, in 2024, was Canada’s fifth-largest trade partner in terms of bilateral merchandise trade.
In 2025, Canada's merchandise trade with Japan totalled $14.5 billion in exports and $21.1 billion in imports.
The Canada-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Roadmap sets out many areas for bilateral cooperation between the two countries. For trade specifically, the main highlights include:
Both governments committed to modernizing the bilateral Joint Economic Committee, promoting two-way investment, and continuing collaboration under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
The roadmap also supports closer cooperation through forums such as the WTO, OECD, and G7. Additionally, it will explore ways to promote both direct and indirect two-way investment.
It further includes support for Japanese automotive decarbonization efforts in Canada and for promoting wood use in modern, low-carbon construction through the Canada-Japan Annual Forest Dialogue.
Canada and Japan agreed to establish a new Economic Security Dialogue and deepen cooperation on supply chain resilience, diversification, disruption preparedness, and vulnerabilities affecting essential goods and strategic industries.
The roadmap commits both countries to closer cooperation on critical minerals, including reliable supply, value-added processing, diversified manufacturing, battery supply chains, and coordination through the G7 Critical Minerals Production Alliance.
The roadmap supports expanded cooperation and trade in liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), alongside clean energy technologies including small modular reactors, hydrogen and its derivatives, carbon capture, utilization, and storage, and renewables.
Canada reaffirmed its commitment to remaining a reliable food security partner for Japan, including as a predictable supplier of safe, high-quality agricultural products. The bilateral Agriculture Dialogue will also be used to streamline import processes and to facilitate stable, predictable trade in food and agricultural products.
Building on the Canada-Japan Agreement on Cooperation in Science and Technology, both countries committed to increased collaboration on semiconductors, AI and data, cybersecurity, batteries, hydrogen fuel cells, quantum technology, fusion energy, clean technologies, and other strategic sectors central to economic competitiveness and resilience.
The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership builds on a series of existing bilateral agreements and commitments.
The two countries announced shared priorities in 2021 and released a Canada-Japan Action Plan in 2022 to contribute to a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
More recently, the Security of Information Agreement entered into force in January 2026, while the defence Equipment and Technology Transfer Agreement (ETTA) and the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) have been signed but are not yet in force.
At Cole International, we offer trade consulting and customs brokerage services to help Canadian businesses navigate evolving developments with trading partners.
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