thecanadian.cccj.or.jp SUMMER 2018 | ¥900 SUMMER2018 • THE CANADIAN THE THE CANADIAN QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF THE CANADIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN JAPAN CANADA’S RISING SON Former MP from Ontario honoured for business, politics PUBLISHED BY PUBLISHED P19 CUSTOM MEDIA CUSTOM CANADA MAKES CARS? OVER-40S RUGBY 12 Japan's brands go strong 26 Clubs cross the Pacific CONTENTS VOLUME 19 | ISSUE 03 SUMMER 2018 PHOTO: HUGH JERVIS 5 EDITOR 19 CANADA’S RISING SON 26 UNITED ON THE PITCH Great sport Former MP from Ontario Over-40s rugby clubs bring together ALEC JORDAN honoured for business, politics players from Canada and Japan ALEC JORDAN ALEC JORDAN 7 CHAMBER Links through learning 20 WINNING PLANS 29 A WAY IN JIM ZHANG JMEC participants put their Josh Grisdale explores business savvy on display Japan’s accessibility options 9 CANADA–JAPAN NEWS SAYA HATTON SAYA HATTON 10 LEARNING ON THE GO 21 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 31 THOUGHT LEADER Students from the University of Positive news from last year and Riyo Whitney discusses Calgary explore business in Japan good tidings for the year to come international education SAYA HATTON ALEC JORDAN ALEC JORDAN 12 CANADA MAKES CARS? 23 A MAYOR ON A MISSION 32 UPCOMING EVENTS Japanese brands invest Montréal’s Valerie Plante billions and employ thousands talks economic ties with Japan 33 NEW MEMBERS JULIAN RYALL ALEC JORDAN 34 THE MATCHMAKER 16 STEADY BURN 25 A DAY ON THE GREENS How a Canadian missionary set LNG projects in Canada may play an Fun in the sun at the the stage for an imperial wedding important role in Japan’s energy supply CCCJ Golf Scramble TIM HORNYAK ALEC JORDAN THE CANADIAN | SUMMER 2018 3 Representing some 35 business industries, the CCCJ is a member-driven, member-focused organization and is the longest-serving Canadian chamber of commerce in Asia. With more than 400 members, the CCCJ represents a broad cross-section of businesspeople, including entrepreneurs, from Canada, Japan and other countries. The membership comprises Canadian companies and individuals www.cccj.or.jp with ties to Japan, and Japanese companies and individuals with ties to Canada. The Canadian Chamber Chairman 508, 509 HULIC of Commerce in Japan NEIL VAN WOUW & NEW SHINBASHI Vanten K.K. | [email protected] 2-11-10 Shinbashi La Chambre de commerce Minato-ku du Canada au Japon Vice-Chairman Tokyo 105-0004 ROBERT FULLER Japan The Canadian Chamber of Commerce Currie and Brown | [email protected] in Japan is a private sector, not-for-profit Tel: +81 (0)3 6811-2391 business organization founded in 1975 to Executive Director promote the development of commerce JIM ZHANG | [email protected] between Canada and Japan. Office and Event Manager MARIE OHASHI | [email protected] @cccjapon /cccjapon bit.ly/cccjapon /cccjapon EDITOR Great sport By Alec Jordan Editor-in-Chief, The Canadian To go along with summer’s swelter, Japan has for weeks been in the grip of took 25 students around Japan to learn more FIFA World Cup fever. As soccer fans of teams from around the world stayed about Japanese business practices. up until the early hours of the morning to cheer, celebrate, and commiserate, On page 31, we meet Riyo Whitney, who we were all reminded of the power that sports have to bring us together. recently joined the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Japan (CCCJ). As the new principal of Bunka Suginami Canadian International School, she was able to provide Even though heated political rhetoric We also find out how Japanese carmakers insight on the importance of sharing one has raised tensions among Canada, the play an important role in supporting the of Canada’s most important assets — its United States, and Mexico over the past Canadian economy (page 12), and see how one education system — with Japanese students. months, the world of athletics has brought of Japan’s largest companies could have a major To learn more about the topic of accessibility, the countries some welcome good news: a part in an upcoming liquefied natural gas and how Japan’s cities could become more united bid has won the three the right to project based in British Columbia (page 16). open to people with disabilities we talked host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Here’s Meanwhile, Montréal mayor Valérie Plante’s with Joshua Grisdale (page 29), the man hoping that the preparation for the event recent visit to Japan (page 23) has laid the behind the website Accessible Japan. gives them the opportunity to work together groundwork for deeper business ties between Finally, as I take up the role as the new for their mutual benefit. Québec and Japan in the years to come. editor-in-chief at The Canadian from Maxine Cheyney, who has returned to London, CLOSE LINKS SHARED LEARNING I’d like to extend my warm greetings to all of Continuing on the topic of sports, in this issue One of the best ways to connect nations is our readers and members of the CCCJ. I look we learn more about rugby players on both through education. To see such collaboration forward to meeting you at social events, and sides of the Pacific who are maintaining their under way, we took the opportunity to catch hearing your opinions about how we can make dedication to the game well past their forties up with students and teachers involved in a this publication an even better reflection of the (page 26) and strengthening ties between program run by the University of Calgary’s diverse community that it serves. Canada and Japan. Haskayne School of Business (page 10), which thecanadian.cccj.or.jp Publisher Head of Project Custom Media Simon Farrell Management Publishers of The Canadian for the Canadian [email protected] Megumi Okazaki Chamber of Commerce in Japan, Custom Media is a digital content-creation and communications agency President Advertising Sales Manager celebrating its 10th anniversary. Our focus is on Robert Heldt Edvard Vondra print and digital publications, marketing solutions, social media, branding, websites, apps, and videos Account Managers Editor-in-Chief in three areas: strategy, creation, and digital. Alec Jordan Denis Sigal Garreth Stevens Staff Writer Daiwa Azabudai Bldg. 6F Saya Hatton Business Development 2-3-3 Azabudai, Minato-ku, www.custom-media.com Directors Tokyo 106-0041 Art Director Anthony Head Ximena Criales Leon van Houwelingen Tel: 03-4540-7730 Kotaro Toda Graphic Designers © 2018 Custom Media K.K. Michael Pfeffer Media Coordinator Alex Sanson Kiyoko Morita Project Coordinators Yoshiki Tatezaki Ayako Nakamura The Canadian is printed using vegetable oil ink certified by the Japan Printing Ink Makers Association. Printed by Bun-shin THE CANADIAN | SUMMER 2018 5 A4_v4_Roast_pork_ol-2018Jul-3.ai 1 2018/07/11 9:12:42 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K CHAMBER LINKS THROUGH LEARNING By Jim Zhang Executive Director Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Japan Happy summer holidays to our members! I hope you have been able to take a break from your normal busy days. It is another hot one in Japan, and we hope our momentum at the Chamber will continue to rival the scorching heat of Japan’s summer. On June 5, the Canadian Chamber of In 2016, Japan was the top country for Commerce in Japan (CCCJ) welcomed the language studies, according to Languages Mayor of Montréal Valérie Plante and a strong Canada, contributing C$12.8–15.5 billion delegation from her municipality. The visit, to economic activities in the country. organized in collaboration with the Montréal But education is not only about personal Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and improvement or cultural exchange. It is the General Delegation of Québec to Tokyo, now a significant economic industry that was arranged to celebrate the inaugural direct has collateral benefits for society and the flight between Tokyo and Montréal by CCCJ bilateral relationship. Corporate Sustaining Member Air Canada. Canada and Japan make great natural We are extremely excited to have an increased partners for students, and they are places exchange at business, cultural, and personal where people from both sides of the levels between the two cities. Pacific can gain valuable experience. In culture to Japanese youth across the country. Soon after, the CCCJ hosted the annual addition, increasing academic partnerships Through this cultural exchange, we have seen Joint Chamber Summer Cocktail at the between institutions have increased R&D successful JET alumni become significant Roppongi Hills Club. This year we col lab­­­orat- opportunities across the board. We are players in the bilateral relationship, and ed with 15 foreign chambers to welcome extremely happy to see this development more Japanese students becoming interested in 380 guests. One of the largest networking and hope that more students study abroad Canada and its culture. events in the foreign business community, and gain this valuable experience. This is indeed working, from a grassroots once again this event was extremely popular. Whether they are in Canada or Japan, level, to bring two very different cultures You can see a picture from the event in the or any other country for that matter, it is closer and closer, and creating a platform of CCCJ Events on page 32. younger people who will inevitably drive growth for younger people. Canada is now the economy of their respective countries. the second-largest participating country in EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIP It is extremely important to create a generation the JET Programme. In this summer issue of the magazine, we of open, internationally minded youth For those wanting more information focus on the grassroots connections between who can contribute to the prosperity and regarding Canada’s education efforts in Japan, Canada and Japan.