The two countries have signed an Equipment and Technology Transfer Agreement, enabling Japan to export defence products to Canada.
While on-again off-again trade talks with the erratic Trump Administration get most of the attention, Canada continues to strengthen economic and defence ties with other partners. Defence Minister David McGuinty recently met with Japanese Ambassador to Canada Kanji Yamanouchi to sign an Equipment and Technology Transfer Agreement.
Here’s what the Department of National Defence said in an official statement regarding the deal:
“The Minister and Ambassador signed an Equipment and Technology Transfer Agreement (ETTA) between Canada and Japan. This agreement will help Canadian and Japanese companies co-develop projects that require the transfer of equipment, technology, or Intellectual Property to Canada. Canadian and Japanese companies will now be able to work more closely together, build together and strengthen both countries defence industries and will also permit Japan to export defence equipment and technology to Canada, providing the Canadian Armed Forces with an additional source of supply.
During this meeting, the Minister and the Ambassador discussed defence materiel and defence industrial cooperation as an area of growth and one that supports shared strategic interests. They spoke about the desire to increase military collaboration between the Canadian Armed Forces and the Japanese Self Defense Forces. The Minister reiterated Canada’s support for greater collaboration between North Atlantic Treaty Organization and its Indo-Pacific partners – Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea.
As a Pacific nation, enhancing security and defence partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region is key to Canada’s interests. The signing of the ETTA is a significant step in the bilateral Canada-Japan defence relationship.”
This is an important step. Reducing Canada’s dependence on the United States won’t happen overnight, but instead through countless small shifts to strengthen ties with other more reliable partners, chipping away at the percentage of our overall trade and defence procurement contracts that are dependent on the U.S.
Spencer Fernando
Image – Twitter
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