Shared Canada-Japan priorities contributing to a free and open Indo‑Pacific region

Backgrounder

The ministers shared the common recognition on deepening cooperation between Canada and Japan to advance our shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific in the following mutual priority areas:

Rule of law

Enhance political, security and defence cooperation to maintain and promote the rule of law in the Indo-Pacific region, including through working together to address unilateral actions that undermine regional stability and the rules-based international maritime order based on international law, consistent with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and cooperation in the multinational initiative to address activities in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea, such as ship-to-ship transfers.

Peacekeeping operations, peacebuilding, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief

Explore opportunities for further cooperation between Canada and Japan in the area of UN peacekeeping operations, including peacekeeping capacity building in the region, as well as in the areas of peacebuilding and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, making the most of the Canada-Japan Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement.

Health security and responding to COVID-19

Coordinate to tackle COVID-19, improve health outcomes, and strengthen health security around the world, as well as in the region, including through support for R&D and equitable access to vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics, and reinforcement of the health systems by advancing universal health coverage, and collaborate to mitigate biological threats.

Energy security

Promote the stable supply of sustainable resources to support energy security in the Indo-Pacific region, including energy projects between Canada and Japan, such as the LNG Canada project.

Free trade promotion and trade agreement implementation

Welcoming the success of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), continue to steadily implement and work to expand the CPTPP. Continue to support the rules-based multilateral trading system and advance WTO reform. Share best practices on promotion of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and inclusive trade, including women entrepreneurship, capacity building of developing countries and supply chain resilience.

Environment and climate change

Promote cooperation in the area of climate change and the environment in the region, with special attention to the Pacific island countries, to help improve economic development, promote food security and ocean sustainability, and implement mitigation and adaptation efforts, including through enhancing access to climate finance.

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