Canada’s Prime MinisterMark Carneyvowed Friday to strengthen defence cooperation and economic security with Tokyo, in the Japan leg of his Asia-Pacific tour aimed at shedding reliance on the United States.
Having arrived from Australia in his multi-country tour seen as a hedge against what he has described as a fading US-led global order, Carney met Japanese premier Sanae Takaichi.
“We are enhancing our security and defence cooperation through information sharing, technology transfers, cooperation in maritime security,” Carney told reporters in a joint statement with Takaichi.
Also among the “six priority areas” with Japan he laid out was the strengthening of “economic security with robust supply chains”.
“We’re expanding our existing cooperation within the G7 critical minerals alliance to secure reliable stockpiles and build our processing capacity.”
Prior to their meeting, Japanese media had reported both sides want to share more intelligence on Chinese andRussiancyberattacks and boost joint military exercises.
In his earlier Australia visit, Carney said he couldn’t rule out his country’s military participation in the escalating war in the Middle East, and that US-Israeli strikes on Iran appeared “inconsistent with international law.”
Fresh from saying in Davos in January that under US President Donald Trump the world was seeing a “rupture”, Carney also called in Canberra for “middle powers” to work more together.
In Tokyo, the Canadian leader made no reference to the war, although Takaichi said they will discuss Iran over dinner.
“Mark’s visit here under this tough international situation is very meaningful,” she said, pledging to “carve out a new chapter in the Japan-Canada relationships.”
Source: Insider Paper
