KCBA News

Asian Environment Business Symposium - 大阪市アジア環境ビジネスシンポジウム

2011-10-03T09:24:00.001+09:00

The City of Osaka will be holding Asian Environment Business Symposium to share information and ideas through keynote speeches about environmental/energy challenges and economic development, and a panel discussion on efforts taken by Asian cities.

(English follows below)

大阪市のビジネスパートナー都市（BPC）が一堂に会するBPCラウンドテーブルの開催を契機として、大阪市は環境・エネルギー問題と経済発展についての基調講演や、アジアの都市での取り組みについてパネルディスカッションによる情報共有を行い、環境分野におけるアジアの都市が抱える諸問題の解決と経済発展方策を探ります。
シンポジウム終了後、参加者による交流会（ネットワークレセプション）を開催します。

日時：平成23年10月20日（木）
　　　シンポジウム - 15：00～18：00（開場14：30）
　　　　交流会 - 18：30～20：30　　　
会場：ハイアットリージェンシー大阪 3階　ボールルームE
　　　（ニュートラム南港ポートタウン線「中ふ頭」駅下車3分）
対象：企業関係者、行政・大学・研究機関関係者など
定員：100名（定員になり次第、締め切らせていただきます）
参加費：シンポジウム - 無料
　　　　　交流会 - 2,000円
言語：日本語（英語による同時通訳あり）
お問い合わせ：大阪市政策企画室海外プロモーション担当内
　　　　　　　　　アジア環境ビジネスシンポジウム事務局　担当　藤原、チャン
　　　　　　　　　TEL：06-6208-7246
E-mail：aa0006@city.osaka.lg.jp

プログラム等その他イベントの詳細はこちらから
http://www.ibpcosaka.or.jp/network/event/2011/111020_business.pdf

シンポジウム及び交流会への参加をご希望される方は、下記の必要事項をご記入の上、メールもしくはFAXにて、10月14日（金）までにお申し込みください。
E-mail：aa0006@city.osaka.lg.jp　　FAX：06-6227-9871

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1. 参加区分（いずれかにチェックを入れてください）：
　　□ セミナーのみ参加
　　□ セミナー及び交流会に参加
2. 氏名：
3. 部署・役職：
4. 貴社名：
5. 住所：
6. Tel/Fax：
7. E-mail：
8. 業種（チェックを入れてください）：
　　□ 製造業　　□ 卸売業　　□ 小売業
　　□ 金融業　　□ 不動産業　　□ コンサルタント
　　□ 報道出版業　　□ 公的機関　　□ その他（　　　　　　　　　　　　）

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At the occasion of the gathering of the Business Partner Cities (BPC) members, the City of Osaka will be holding Asian Environment Business Symposium to share information and ideas through keynote speeches about environmental/energy challenges and economic development, and a panel discussion on efforts taken by Asian cities. This event aims to find solutions and economic development measures to deal with the various problems faced by Asian cities in the environment field.
A Networking Reception will be held after the Symposium for participants.

Date: Thursday, 20th October, 2011
Time: Symposium - 15:00 to 18:00　（Doors open at14:30）
Networking Reception - 18:30 to 20:30
Venue: Hyatt Regency Osaka 3rd floor, Ball room E
Access: New Tram Nanko Port Town Line "Nakafuto Station" 3 minutes walk from station
Participants: Businesses, public, university and research agencies etc.
Expected No: 100 (Registration will close once maximum capacity is reached)
Fee: Symposium only - Free of charge
Networking Reception - 2,000 yen/person
Language: Japanese （English Simultaneous Interpretation）
Inquiries: International Relations Department,
Office of the Mayor, City of Osaka
Asia Environment Business Symposium Secretariat,
Mr. Fujiwara, Mr. Chan
Tel: 06-6208-7277 E-mail: aa0006@city.osaka.lg.jp

For program and further information, visit at:
http://www.kcba-japan.org/files/KCBA005-events/KCBA_005_001-asia_environment_business_symposium.pdf

KCBA members who would like to listen to the symposium and participate in the networking reception, please send the following details by e-mail or FAX by Friday, 14th October.
E-mail：aa0006@city.osaka.lg.jp FAX: 06-6227-9871

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1. Participation (Please mark your preference):

□ Seminar only □ Seminar and Networking Reception

2. Full name:

3. Position:

4. Company name:

5. Address:

6. Tel/Fax:

7. E-mail:

8. Industry (Please check):

□ Manufacturing □ Wholesale □ Retail

□ Finance □ Real Estate □ Consultant

□ News/publishing □ Public organization

□ Others ( )

From deficit to surplus: Lessons for Japan

2011-06-24T11:33:00.004+09:00

On May 24th, our own Allan Edwards presented his thoughts about how Canada's experiences with debt reduction could provide useful food for thought for those struggling to regain control of Japan's debt crisis. A few of our enthusiastic attendees kindly submitted a short overview of this event.

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My First (but not last!) KCBA Event
-Enrica Ruan

This was my first time joining a KCBA event, so at first I was a little apprehensive. However, in the end, this turned out to be an informative and pleasant experience.

The event, entitled “From deficit to surplus: Canada's story of hope and the Challenges ahead for Japan,” was based on a presentation given by Canadian Consular Offical Allan Edwards. The topic was about how the Government of Canada and its people managed to turn its enormous deficit into a surplus in only a few years. Mr. Edwards began by explaining why managing the deficit situation is so important, then briefly explained Canada’s dire financial situation in the 1980s, followed by its numerous efforts to reduce spending. Those efforts, he explained, did not succeed overnight; it took the Canadian government several years before they found the way. The presentation summarized the many important lessons learned by this experience, as well as some of the key differences between Canada and Japan. Mr. Edwards stressed how perhaps the Japanese government could look to Canada's experience for guidance as they try to turn around the current financial problems here in Japan.

I believe that this topic would definitely interest anyone who cares about Japan today, and Mr. Edwards was a very entertaining speaker. He presented the subject in fluent Japanese, and told the story in a way that was easy for everyone to understand. Not only does he grasp the background and the story of the topic thoroughly, with his great sense of humour he also brought a lot of joy to everyone in the room.

The event was held at “Corso Italia,” an Italian restaurant with a casual and friendly atmosphere. Following this inspiring presentation, we were served with a full array of tasty foods. It was nice networking with great people from different backgrounds in a relaxed and fun atmosphere. I am eagerly awaiting the next KCBA event!

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Event in May 24
-Gojo Masashi
-Gojo Real Estate Co. Ltd.

On May 24th, I attended a KCBA event entitled “From deficit to surplus. Canada's story of hope and the Challenges ahead for Japan”. The presentation was given by Canadian Consular offical Allan Edwards.

After a brief introduction, Mr. Edwards started the presentation in Japanese. He saw the Japanese deficit from the political aspect and warned that the high deficit against GDP ratio forces the Japanese government to have less choices on political decisions and its operations.

He mentioned that for the Canadian Prime Minister at that time, Brian Mulroney, decreasing the national deficit was an unpopular idea, as most Canadians did not take the deficit situation very seriously. Mr. Edwards said it is common that society does not welcome the idea of decreasing the deficit. He stressed the importance of ministers and bureaucrats working together on creating a national budget based on political priorities. He showed us the track record of Canadian deficit, how Canada was able to turn around a massive deficit into a surplus, and finished the presentation suggesting that even at a slow pace, decreasing a national deficit has a great power in a long run.

After the presentation, we had a Q&A session. There was a question regarding the key to the Canadian success, which led us to the lively talk about the difference between the Canadian leadership and the Japanese leadership. While there was a question if the Canadian way of decreasing the deficit really works in Japan, he answered that it is a matter of choice if you choose to decrease the deficit, there is a way. The Canadian model shows it is not impossible to decrease the deficit and even if it is a slow pace, it really does work in the long run.

The presentation, given in Japanese, was followed by a cocktail party. People began to mingle and network; it was a very international gathering. Before closing the event, we recognized the services of Mr. Edwards, whose posting in Japan will end this year.

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株式会社タカセコーポレーション
高瀬　英将

５月２４日福島にあるイタリア料理店オステリア・コルソ・イタリアで関西カナダビジネスアソシエーション主催、大阪商工会議所共催、関西日加協会協力の下、在名古屋カナダ総領事館領事アラン・エドワード氏を招いて講演会が実施された。

題目は「財政赤字を黒字転化：カナダの成功例から日本が学べること」

１９８０年代にマルニーニ首相が実施した政策を中心にエドワード氏独特のユーモアと日本への「愛」が感じられる非常に内容の濃いものだった。加えて全講演が「日本語」で実施され、エドワード氏の日本への熱い思いがより一層伝わるものとなった。

座席配置もいつもは講義式なのが、非常にリラックスした配置で実施され、講演後も心行くまでイタリア料理に舌鼓を打ちながら、カナダへの思いを参加者全員で語り合い非常に有意義なものだった。

KCBA & CCCJ Enhanced Ties / KCBA CCCJ の提携について

2011-05-30T09:34:00.009+09:00

Monday, May 30: In the spirit of friendship and co-operation, the KCBA is pleased to announce that it has reached an agreement with the Canadian Chambers of Commerce in Japan (CCCJ) to enhance ties and expand business networking opportunities for KCBA and CCCJ members.

5月30日(月)... この度、関西カナダビジネスアソシエーション（KCBA）は友好と協力の精神に基づき、在日カナダ商工会議所（CCCJ）と提携いたしましたことを発表いたします。これにより両機構の関係を強固にし、全ての会員の方が今後ビジネスのネットワークをより一層広げるチャンスとなることでしょう

(English Follows Below)

この度、関西カナダビジネスアソシエーション（KCBA）は友好と協力の精神に基づき、

在日カナダ商工会議所（CCCJ）と提携いたしましたことを発表いたします。これにより両機構の関係を強固にし、全ての会員の方が今後ビジネスのネットワークをより一層広げるチャンスとなることでしょう。

提携の特典として、KCBAとCCCJの会員は、１年に２回もう一方の機構が主催するイベントへ会員価格で参加することが出来るようになりました。

KCBAとCCCJの結びつきを今後更に強固にすることで、日本とカナダの関係が一層発展していくことを期待し努力してまいります。

提携後初のイベントといたしまして、CCCJ主催（在日米、英、豪商工会議所及び東京商工会議所共催）で、６月９日東京のカナダ大使館にてジョイントカクテルイベントが開催される運びとなり、総勢300人が参加する予定となっております。KCBAの会員の方々は、このイベントに会員価格でご参加いただけます。この企画は、東京で開催されるネットワーキングイベントの中でも最大規模のイベントの一つでもあります。こちらの詳細と参加登録につきましては、次回のメールでご案内いたします。

関西カナダビジネスアソシエーション

理事会

KCBA-CCCJ Enhanced Ties

In the spirit of friendship and co-operation, the KCBA is pleased to announce to its members and the Kansai Canadian business community that it has reached an agreement with the Canadian Chambers of Commerce in Japan (CCCJ) to enhance ties and expand business networking opportunities for KCBA and CCCJ members. In accordance with the new agreement, KCBA and CCCJ members will be able to attend and participate annually in two designated events of the other organization at member price.

Both KCBA and CCCJ understand the importance of a strong Japan-Canada business presence across the country. To this end, we hope that this agreement will be the first of many joint initiatives to assist our members achieve business success and to strengthen the overall Japan-Canada commercial relationship.

On June 9th, KCBA members are invited to attend the CCCJ organized Joint Chamber Summer Cocktail event at the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo. This event is supported by the American, British and Australian/New Zealand and Tokyo Chambers of Commerce and is an excellent opportunity to meet and network with the Tokyo foreign and local business community. Expected attendance is approximately 300 people.

For further details and registration please, see the email that follows.

Board of Governors
Kansai Canada Business Association

A Lesson in Entrepreneurship from Terrie Lloyd

2011-04-08T11:14:00.002+09:00

Thursday, March 10 was a good day for Kansai entrepreneurs. We were fortunate to have Terrie Lloyd come all the way to Osaka to give an enlightening presentation to KCBA and OCCI members.

For those who do not know Terrie, he is a long-time resident and entrepreneur in Japan, and has built from the ground up 18 companies, 14 of which were in Japan. He currently operates a group of 7 active companies, which employ over 140 people. Terrie regularly gives seminars for expats in Japan that teach how to start and run a company in this unique market. His personal mission is to "open up Japan to other countries". He lives and breathes entrepreneurship, and passes on his passion to other in the form of talks and seminars. Although extremely busy, he is very approachable, down-to-earth, and friendly, somehow always finding the time to reply to his numerous emails.

Although there are some difficulties adapting to Japan, Terrie affirms that there are also advantages. There are some things we as foreigners are able to do that Japanese people cannot. Especially when networking or trying to open doors, there are often less barriers to the foreign entrepreneur. According to Terrie, some expats are taking advantage of these benefits, and there are more and more foreigners taking on bigger and bigger roles in Japanese business.

What is an entrepreneur? Terrie gives 3 answers. First: a "passion channeler". An entrepreneur has total, unreleting committment to making an idea work. Second, an "obsessor". The entrepreneur may not always be right, but is right on the big issues, and is always pushing forward her ideas. Third, a "creator". Terrie assures us that Japan is fertile ground for entrepreneurship, as there are many problems that the larger companies are simply not able to solve. Society needs entrepreneurs, because they give people hope, spur performance and competitiveness, and act as mentors to the next generation of entrepreneurs, thereby promoting renewed vigour in the economy. Indeed, that is what Terrie does each time he evangelizes entrepreneurship.

For well over an hour, Terrie explained the secrets to starting a successful company in Japan. He mentioned some market and sales strategies, provided some hits about how to get financing, and shared some insightful advice about how to hire good people. To know the details, you will just have to attend his next seminar. :-)

We are currently planning to have Terrie back down to the Kansai to hold one of his entrepreneur seminars. If you are interested, please contact us.

Information on Radiation Levels in Japan

2011-03-25T09:15:00.005+09:00

Following consultations with Government of Canada experts, and based on information available from the Government of Japan and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Canada has assessed that at this stage there is no indication that there is a radiation health risk to Canadian citizens in Japan (outisde of the evacuation zone) and in other countries in Asia.

As the situation continues to evolve, any Canadians still located within 80 km of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant should consider, as a further precautionary measure, evacuating this area. All Canadians in Japan should continue to follow the directions of the Japanese government and local emergency response personnel. For more information, please see the Government of Canada’s Warning against all travel to the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant and surrounding areas.

Based on current information, areas outside the Japanese evacuation zone are not subject to radiation levels associated with a health risk. Health risks still exist within the Japanese evacuation zone; therefore, Canadians should not enter these areas and should continue to follow the instructions of local authorities.

Information on the status of nuclear facilities in Japan can also be obtained on the websites of the Japan Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

Potassium iodide

Potassium iodide (KI) is only needed in a worst case situation where there is a large amount of radioactive iodine in the environment. At this time, only people in the immediate area of the Fukushima Power Plant might need this medication; the Government of Canada does not advise anyone outside this area to take KI. KI will be available from local health authorities in Japan if the need arises and should only be taken on instruction from the Japanese authorities. Government of Canada offices abroad are not in a position to provide medicine or medical treatment to Canadian citizens who have chosen to travel or reside outside of Canada. Canadians seeking information about KI are advised to contact their doctor or employer. The Government of Canada will provide information to Canadians to help them identify medical services locally.

Food and water safety

Elevated levels of radioactive iodine and cesium have been detected in some food products from Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi and Gunma Prefectures. Canadians in Japan should therefore continue to follow the advice of local authorities, including recommendations regarding food and water consumption and protective measures such as taking KI. Canadians should also monitor updates from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

Information on food and water safety recommendations can be found in the the Public Health of Canada’s Travel Health Notice.

Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency remain in regular contact with Japanese authorities and will continue to provide information to Canadians as the situation evolves.

The Canadian Embassy in Tokyo's web site offers local information and resources for Canadians in Japan, such as shelter locations and announcements from the government of Japan.

RADIOACTIVITY LEVELS IN NAGOYA AND OSAKA (MARCH 25, 2011 - 07:52am JAPAN TIME)

From today's radioactivity measurements published by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the situation in Nagoya and Osaka has not changed.

http://www.kcba-japan.org/u/dZmB

Environmental radioactivity: Readings are still in the range of historical figures: 0.035 - 0.074 microSv for Nagoya (minimum reading: 0.039 microSv/; maximum reading: 0.041microSv/h) and 0.042 - 0.061 microSv for Osaka (minimum reading: 0.042 microSv/h; maximum reading: 0.043/h).

http://www.kcba-japan.org/u/dZmC (PDF)

Radioactivity level in drinking water: no detectable radioactivity.

http://www.kcba-japan.org/u/dZmD (PDF)

Radioactivity level in fallout: no detectable radioactivity in either Aichi or Osaka prefectures.

http://www.kcba-japan.org/u/dZmE (PDF)

Radioactivity in the adjacent prefectures has also remained in the historic ranges for environmental radioactivity, except Shizuoka (adjacent to Nagoya) which observed 5.8 MBq/Km2 of I-131 and 5.9 MBq/Km2 of Cs-137 in the fallout on March 24 (down from the previous day's 150 MBq/Km2 and 25 MBq/Km2, respectively).

Information sur les niveaux de radiation au Japon

(Pour l'article original, incluant les liens vers les sources, n'hésitez pas à nous contacter.)

Après avoir consulté des experts du Gouvernement du Canada et d’après l’information communiquée par le gouvernement japonais et l’Agence internationale de l’énergie atomique (AIEA) (en anglais seulement), le Canada conclu que pour le moment rien n’indique qu’il existe un risque radioactif pour la santé des Canadiens qui se trouvent au Japon ou dans d’autres pays d’Asie.

Étant donné que la situation évolue, les Canadiens qui se trouvent dans un rayon de 80 km de la centrale nucléaire de Fukushima devraient, par mesure de précaution, quitter la région. Les ressortissants canadiens qui se trouvent au Japon doivent suivre les directives du gouvernement japonais et du personnel d’intervention d’urgence local. Pour des renseignements supplémentaires, veuillez consulter l’avertissement du Gouvernement du Canada d’éviter tout voyage à l'usine nucléaire de Fukushima et ses environs.

D’après l’information que nous possédons, il n’y a pas, dans les régions se trouvant hors de la zone d’évacuation établie par le Japon, des niveaux de radiation qui pourraient causer des problèmes de santé. Toutefois, il y a des risques pour la santé à l’intérieur de la zone d’évacuation établie par le Japon; par conséquent, nous conseillons à tous les Canadiens de suivre les directives données par les autorités japonaises et de ne pas se rendre dans cette zone.

Pour obtenir de plus amples renseignements au sujet de l’état des installations nucléaires japonaises, veuillez consulter le site web de l’Agence japonaise de sécurité nucléaire et industrielle (disponible en japonais et en anglais) et le site web de la Commission canadienne de sûreté nucléaire.

Iodure de potassium

L’iodure de potassium (KI) n’est nécessaire que dans les scénarios de la pire éventualité lorsque l’environnement contient de l’iode radioactif en grande quantité. À l’heure actuelle, seulement les personnes se trouvant dans la zone immédiate de l’usine nucléaire de Fukushima pourront avoir besoin de ce médicament. Le gouvernement du Canada déconseille aux personnes se trouvant en dehors de cette zone de prendre ce médicament. Si le besoin se présente, il sera possible de se procurer, au besoin, de l’iodure de potassium auprès des autorités japonaises de la santé. L’iode de potassium ne doit être pris que sous les directives des autorités japonaises. Les bureaux du Canada à l’étranger ne sont pas en mesure de fournir des médicaments ou des traitements médicaux aux citoyens canadiens qui ont choisi de voyager ou de résider à l’extérieur du Canada. Les Canadiens qui désirent recevoir de plus amples renseignements sur l’iode radioactif sont priés de contacter leur docteur ou leur employeur. Le gouvernement du Canada fournira de l’information aux Canadiens pour les aider à identifier les services médicaux disponibles sur place.

Salubrité des aliments et de l’eau

Des niveaux élevés d’iode et de césium radioactifs ont été constatés dans des produits alimentaires dans les préfectures de Fukushima, d’Ibaraki, de Tochigi et de Gunma. Les Canadiens au Japon doivent continuer de suivre les directives des autorités locales, notamment les recommandations sur la consommation d’aliments et de l’eau ainsi que les mesures de protection comme la prise de comprimés d’iode. Les Canadiens doivent également se tenir au courant des mises à jour du ministère de la Santé, du Travail et du Bien-être (en anglais seulement) du Japon.

Des renseignements sur les recommandations sur la consommation d’aliments et de l’eau sont disponibles sur la page des Conseils de santé aux voyageurs du site web de Santé Canada.

Santé Canada et l’Agence canadienne d’inspection des aliments sont en communication constante avec les autorisés japonaises et continuent de fournir de l’information aux Canadiens sur l’évolution de la situation.

Le site web de l'ambassade du Canada à Tokyo offre de l’information locale pour les Canadiens au Japon, telle que l'emplacement des refuges et les annonces du gouvernement japonais.

Radiation Health Risk: Advice to Canadians

2011-03-17T17:35:00.008+09:00

Canada's Response

2011-03-15T14:31:00.008+09:00

A powerful 8.9 magnitude earthquake with a depth of 24.4 km, struck off the east coast of Honshu, Japan on March 11, 2011 at 14:46 local time. A series of significant aftershocks, ranging in size from 5.8 to 7.1 magnitude, have already struck the same area.

Canada's response to the earthquake in Japan

Original text: http://www.international.gc.ca/humanitarian-humanitaire/japan_earthquake_japon_seisme.aspx?lang=eng

(La version en français suit plus bas.)

Officials at Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada in Ottawa and at the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo are closely monitoring the situation, are actively working to determine whether any Canadians have been injured in the earthquake or tsunami and to determine how best Canada might support Japan in responding to this disaster as needed.

Shortly after the earthquake, Prime Minster Harper spoke with Japan’s Ambassador to Canada to express condolences and to offer any support which the Government of Japan may require.
Canada is offering an array of expertise and technical assistance to the Government of Japan as part of international efforts to help Japan respond to and recover from the devastating earthquake.

These include a 17-member Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) team, as well as chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) technical expertise and equipment. Canada is offering Canadian Forces assets—including strategic airlift and personnel—to facilitate humanitarian relief efforts in addition to relief stocks, and emergency medical and engineering capabilities.

In total, some 13 Canadian federal departments and agencies are collaborating within Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada’s Task Force on Natural Disasters Abroad.

In addition, Canadian government officials have been in contact with the United Nations and the International Red Cross, as both organizations have dispatched disaster-assessment teams to Japan.
The Government of Canada is also working in close coordination with provincial and territorial authorities and stands ready to respond to other specific requests for assistance.

Canadians often feel strongly about helping to support communities affected by this tragic natural disaster. Often the best way to help is to donate money to experienced humanitarian organizations that are raising money to support relief efforts or that are active in the emergency response.

So far, the DFAIT Emergency Operation Centre has fielded more than 6,600 calls from Canadians concerning the earthquake. We are working closely with local authorities to identify Canadian citizens in need of assistance following the earthquake. Mission staff are ready to provide consular assistance as required.

There are currently more than 2,400 Canadian citizens registered with the Canadian embassy in Japan. Very few are registered in the affected area. There are an estimated 11,000 Canadians in Japan. We are aware of the death of one Canadian citizen as a result of the earthquake at this time.

Canadians who believe that they have Canadian friends or family who may be affected to call the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade at 613-944-2471 (613-943- 1055), or toll free within Canada at 1-800-606-5499 (or 1-800-387-3124), or email sos@international.gc.ca.

Canadians in the area should contact and reassure their loved ones, even if they have not been affected by this event. Canadians should register with the Registration of Canadians Abroad (ROCA) service.
Canadian citizens in Japan requiring emergency consular assistance should contact the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo at 011-81-3-5412-6200, or call DFAIT’s Emergency Operations Centre collect at 613-944-2471 (or 613-996-8885). An email can also be sent to sos@international.gc.ca.

Canadians planning to travel to Japan are advised to confirm their travel arrangements with their airline, tour group, or travel agent before heading to the airport. Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada advises against non-essential travel to Tokyo and surrounding areas, as well as the prefectures of Chiba, Miyagi, Ibaraki, Iwate, Aomori and Fukushima, due to damages caused by the March 11 earthquake and subsequent tsunamis. Sendai City, Fukushima City and Aomori City have been hardest hit.

The Government of Canada extends its condolences to all those affected by this significant natural disaster.

Réponse du Canada au séisme au Japon
Le 11 mars 2011 à 14h46, heure locale, un tremblement de terre de magnitude 8.9 s’est produit à 24.4 km de profondeur près de la cote est de Honshu, Japon. De fortes répliques de magnitude 5,8 à 7,1 ont déjà été enregistrées dans la région.

Des représentants d’Affaires étrangères et Commerce international Canada (MAECI) à Ottawa et de l’Ambassade du Canada à Tokyo suivent de près la situation suite du tremblement de terre pour déterminer si des Canadiens ont été blessés lors du tremblement de terre ou tsunami et pour déterminer quelle est la meilleure façon pour le Canada d’offrir son appui au Japon en réponse à ce désastre.
Suite au séisme, le Premier ministre Harper a appelé l’ambassadeur du Japon au Canada pour exprimer les plus sincères condoléances du Canada au peuple japonais, et pour offrir de l’aide au gouvernement du Japon, le cas échéant.

Le Canada a mis à la disposition du Japon une vaste gamme de expertise et d'aide technique dans le cadre des efforts internationaux pour aider ce pays à mettre en place des mesures d’intervention et de redressement à la suite de ce séisme dévastateur.
Ces ressources comprennent une équipe d’identification des victimes de catastrophes composée de 17 membres, ainsi qu'une expertise et de l’équipement techniques dans les domaines chimique, biologique, radiologique et nucléaire (CBRN). Le Canada a offert des ressources des Forces canadiennes, notamment un transport aérien stratégique et du personnel afin de faciliter les secours humanitaires, du matériel de secours et des ressources pour les urgences médicales et l’ingénierie.
En tout, quelque 13 ministères et organismes fédéraux canadiens collaborent au sein du Groupe de travail sur les catastrophes naturelles à l’étranger dirigé par Affaires étrangères et Commerce international Canada.

De plus, les représentants du gouvernement du Canada ont été en contact avec les Nations Unies et le Comité international de la Croix-Rouge, car ces deux organisations ont envoyé des équipes d’évaluation au Japon.

Le gouvernement du Canada collabore aussi étroitement avec les autorités provinciales et territoriales, il demeure prêt à réagir à d’autres demandes d’assistance particulières.
Les Canadiens ont souvent à cœur de venir en aide aux collectivités touchées par cette terrible catastrophe naturelle. La réponse la plus efficace, dans ce genre de situation, consiste souvent à faire des dons en argent aux organismes humanitaires expérimentés, qui mobilisent des fonds ou participent activement aux mesures d’urgence.

À ce jour, le centre des opérations d’urgence du MAECI a reçu plus de 6 600 appels concernant le séisme. Nous travaillons de près avec les autorités locales pour identifier les citoyens Canadiens qui ont besoin d’aide suite au tremblement de terre. Les employés de la mission sont prêts à offrir de l’aide consulaire quand elle est requise.

Présentement, plus de 2 400 Canadiens se sont enregistrés auprès de notre Ambassade au Japon. Très peu sont localisés dans la zone affectée. On estime qu’environ 11 000 Canadiens se retrouvent au Japon. À ce jour, nous sommes au courant du décès d’un citoyen canadien à la suite du séisme.
Les Canadiens qui pensent que certains de leurs amis ou membres de leur famille peuvent être en difficulté à appeler le ministère des Affaires étrangères et du Commerce international au 613-944- 2471 (ou 613-943-1055) ou au 1-800-606-5499 (ou 1-800-387-3124) (sans frais au Canada), ou envoyez un courriel à sos@international.gc.ca.

Nous invitons les citoyens Canadiens qui se trouvent dans la région affectée, à contacter et à rassurer leurs proches, même s’ils n’ont pas été affectés par ce qui s’est passé. Les Canadiens qui sont présentement ou qui se rendent au Japon devraient s’inscrire au service d’Inscription des Canadiens à l’étranger.

Les citoyens canadiens ayant besoin d'une assistance consulaire d'urgence au Japon doivent communiquer avec l'ambassade du Canada à Tokyo, en composant le 011-81-3-5412-6200, ou appeler le Centre des opérations d'urgence du MAECI à Ottawa, à frais virés, au 613-944-2471 (ou 613-996-8885). Ils peuvent également envoyer un courriel à sos@international.gc.ca.
Il est conseillé aux Canadiens qui planifient de voyager au Japon de confirmer leurs arrangements de voyage avec leur compagnie aérienne, leur agence de voyage avant de se rendre à l’aéroport. Affaires étrangères et Commerce international Canada recommande d'éviter tout voyage non essentiel à Tokyo et ses environs, ainsi qu'aux préfectures de Chiba, Miyagi, Ibaraki, Iwate, Aomori et Fukushima en raison de dommages causés par le séisme et les tsunamis du 11 mars. Les villes de Sendai, Fukushima et Aomori ont été le plus durement touchées.

Le Canada offre ses condoléances à tous ceux et celles qui subissent l’impact de ce désastre naturel.

Recap: Board of Governors Meeting

2011-02-10T22:25:00.008+09:00

On Thursday January 13th 2011, the first KCBA Board of Governors meeting in 2011 took place. With all operative board and executive members present, agendas were presented proving this year to be another exciting year for the KCBA and the Kansai business community.

A much welcomed addition to the KCBA is the increased support by Masayuki Yamada who will be fortifying the Events Committee efforts. Mr. Yamada's time is donated by BioScene Informatics Inc. He will learn and eventually lead the planning and execution of KCBA events in 2011.
Congratulations to both Mr. Yamada and the Events Committee!

Other items covered at the meeting included:

Financial Position, Revenue and Expenses Accounting.
Budget for 2011
Advocacy & Relationship building with the Canadian Embassy
Board of Governor Elections
Web-site and web-application - improvements
Corporate membership additions
A review of 2010 events and a preview of 2011 events

Happy Holidays from the KCBA!

2011-01-12T21:50:00.021+09:00

With great success, the Ramada Osaka was the kind host of the annual KCBA Christmas Party co-hosted with the Canada-Japan Society of Kansai (CJSK).

A good crowd of 80 people joined the 2010 Christmas party proving it to be a success attracting old and new faces a like. After party patrons were addressed by Canadian Ambassador, Honourable Jonathan T Fried, Mr. Allan Edwards, Consul and Senior Trade Commissioner of Canadian Consulate in Nagoya, and the new President of Canada-Japan Society of Kansai, Mr.Yutaka Ienaga, KCBA Chair, Jaffer Hussainee, finished with a few words before commencing with the rest of the evening. KCBA Events Chair, Nabil Khan and Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Yumiko Nagoshi were the night’s MCs.

From the 16th floor of the Ramada Osaka boasting a great night view of the city, guests enjoyed various drinks and delicious food of sorts including turkey and steak. The meal and people were not the only highlights of the night, Alicia Saldenha, a natural vocal talent and PhD student at Kobe University, entertained the crowd with her rendition of Christmas classic songs and created an electric energy using jazzy tunes.

Time flew and the night was brought to an end, but not before door prizes were given to party participants via a draw. The lucky winners were treated to gifts from event sponsors East Side Mario’s, Software Engineering, Sanicon, Sun Clutch, Nisshoku, Sun Farm Co. Ltd, TSUDA Sangyo Co., Ltd., Kinder Kids International Pres-school, and Ramada Osaka.

One of many events in 2010 highlighting the KCBA’s ability to increase its reach in the Kansai community, the year end Christmas party attracted first time event attendees including Ms. Michiko Tamamura and Mr. Ko Nishiuchi.

After the event Ms. Tamamura shared some of her thoughts on the evening’s proceedings. “I had a really nice time in the party. The party provided me an opportunity to get to know people and companies who have a deep connection with Canada. Unfortunately, there is no Consulate of Canada in Osaka, but organizations like the KCBA and CJSK have acted as a bridge between Kansai and Canada by holding an event like this Christmas party. I think it is so wonderful. “

Mr. Nishiuchi also made his first ever appearance at a KCBA event and with good reason. “I wanted to meet business people to get information about the recent business conditions directly. My daily work lets me know statistical data, but not much of real opinions and atmosphere” Nishiuchi answered when asked about how why he chose to attend the event. He furthered by sharing “I enjoyed meeting privileged business people from various backgrounds and exchanging views about recent economic and business conditions. (Also, I got Maple Syrup by the lot!)” Nishiuchi added referring to his winnings from the door prize draw.

The Christmas party was a great way to end a year that was at times very trying for Japan and the Kansai region. The forecasts for 2011 are much brighter and the KCBA and its partners will be looking to continue to unite the Kansai business community in this New Year.

2010 KCBA Autumn Golf Classic – A Thundering Success

2010-12-09T15:17:00.009+09:00

By Tom Price, Event Participant

The Mukonodai Golf Course played host to the 10th annual fall KCBA golf classic in the picturesque mountains of Hyogo on Friday December 3rd. This year the tourney was well attended not only by Japanese and Canadians, but various other nationalities including Australians, the British and South Africans.

At the 9:30 tee-off, conditions were sunny and warm with a full huddle of all participants congregating on the back nine. However, by the time the final group of golfers reached the first “closest to the hole competition”, a severe squall came through, including thunder and lightning strikes, which halted play for approximately 30 minutes. Fortunately, there were plenty of refreshments and good cheer to go around during the forced break.

Play resumed with heavy winds and some intermittent rain, but nothing could keep this group of keen golfers down, and everyone finished out the 18 hole tournament without injury and no worse for the wear, except for some over extended throats and lungs due to the repeated yelling of "FOUR".

This year’s group included some rookies as well as some very talented players, so while all levels of golfers from beginner to advanced were represented, relatively excellent scores were turned in by all players, despite the nasty weather conditions.
The 18 hole game was followed by a soothing shower and hot bath in the club’s spa style large bathing area overlooking the hills of the beautiful Hyogo countryside.

The awards ceremony afterwards attended by all topped off the day with delicious food and drink courtesy of the host, Mr. Kunihiro Hamaba, Director of Mukonodai Golf Club. All in all, this year’s tournament was another excellent chance to spend time with like minded members and non-members of the Kansai Canada Business Association.

関西カナダビジネスアソシエーション(KCBA) ビジネス・セミナーカナダ- オンタリオ州と関西間の最新ビジネスチャンス

2010-11-14T18:33:00.002+09:00

2010年10月21日の木曜日に、カナダ大使館参事官（商務）／オンタリオ州政府駐日代表であるロバート・A・アルマー氏が、大阪市内にある「レストラン周」でセミナーを行った。セミナーのタイトルは、「カナダ- オンタリオ州と関西間の最新ビジネスチャンス」というもので、大阪商工会議所と関西日加協会がスポンサーとなった。約35名のプロフェッショナルが、セミナーを訪れた。

セミナーのメイン・トピックとして、オルマー氏は「エコノミスト・インテリジェント・ユニット」のカナダ経済に関する予測を紹介した。それによると、カナダ経済は世界でビジネスを行うのに最も適した国の一つである。またオンタリオは、北アメリカにおける国際ビジネスの拠点であるとも言われている。
まずオルマー氏は、輸出先の市場としてのオンタリオの市場の大きさについて述べた。オンタリオの市場規模は、北アメリカの都市の中で7番目に大きく、実質GDP成長率は2010年には2.3%、2011年には3.3%になると予測されている。
また、オルマー氏は外資系企業や投資家に対する税金の優遇措置について述べた。オンタリオの法人税率は2008年以降下がり続けており、2013年には25.0%になる予定である。
次にオルマー氏は、オンタリオで生まれた革新的な技術について述べた。ブラックベリー、ウィンドウズ・フォンのような商品やポーラー・モバイルといった会社の技術センターがオンタリオにあると述べた。これは、オンタリオの住民の教育レベルが高く、ハイテクの開発が可能であることによる。
またオルマー氏は、武田薬品や田辺三菱製薬のような、オンタリオに支社を置いている日本企業について説明した。またオンタリオには、多くのベンチャー・キャピタルがあることも、良好な投資環境を整えていると述べた。特にオンタリオ州が運営する「オンタリオ・ベンチャー・キャピタル・ファンド」は20億ドル以上の資金を有し、民間企業に投資している。2009年における外国からのオンタリオへの投資は134.5億ドルである。また、日本からオンタリオへの投資は12.2億ドルであり、ニチリン、三洋電機、パナソニック、シャープ、カプコンといった企業がオンタリオに支社を設けている。

オンタリオは潜在的市場としても、投資の対象としても魅力的である。半径1,200 km内（車で1日の圏内）に住んでいる消費者数は1億5千万人を数える。彼らの収入レベルは高いため、その消費力は無視できないものとなっている。さらに、法人税率が低く、住民の教育レベルが高いため、ハイテク商品のための研究開発センターを設立することが可能となっている。オンタリオへの投資は、ハイエンドの商品開発を可能にし、どのような企業にとっても大きな付加価値を創造することになるだろう。

講演のあとは立食形式のディナーが提供され、参加者はネットワーキングを行う機会を持った。

（姉川　佳子）

KCBA Business Seminar Business Opportunities between Ontario and Kansai - An Update

2010-11-06T10:42:00.002+09:00

By Yoshiko Anegawa, Event Participant

On Thursday, October 21, 2010, レストラン周 (Restaurant Amane) hosted a seminar lead by Mr. Robert A. Ulmer, Counsellor (Commercial - Ontario) at Embassy of Canada in Japan. The KCBA organized the event, entitled Business Opportunities between Ontario and Kansai - an Update, while the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Canada Japan Society of the Kansai were co-sponsors. About 35 professionals from various industries participated in the seminar.

As the main theme for his presentation, Mr. Ulmer stated how the Economist Intelligence Unit has forecast that Canada will be one of the best countries in the world to do business through to 2011. Moreover, with the rise of the global business model, Ontario has emerged as an efficient North American hub for international business. There were four main points to his presentation.
First, Mr. Ulmer talked about the import market potential of Ontario. The market size is the seventh largest in North America, and the real GDP growth rate is forecasted at 2.3% in 2010 and 3.3% in 2011.
Second, he explained the tax incentives for foreign companies and investors. Ontario’s corporate tax rate has been decreasing since 2008, and expected to be as low as 25.0% in 2013 (aggregated federal and Ontario).
Third, Mr. Ulmer pointed out that many innovations originate in Ontario. The technology centers for BlackBerry, Windows Phone, and Polar Mobile are located in Ontario, mainly thanks to the high education of the population, which enables development of such high technologies.
Fourth, Mr. Ulmer mentioned a few Japanese companies located in Ontario, such as Takeda (Pharmaceutical) or Mitsubishi Tanabe (Pharmaceutical). Also, easy access to numerous venture capital opportunities makes investment in Ontario easier. Especially, the Province of Ontario runs the Ontario Venture Capital Fund, and its available capital accounts for 2,005 million dollars, which are invested in the private sector. Total foreign investment in Ontario accounted for 13,450 dollars in 2009. Investment from Japanese companies accounts for 1,220 million dollars, and companies such as Nichirin, Sanyo, Panasonic, Sharp and Capcom are based in Ontario.

To sum up, Ontario is attractive both as a potential market and as an investment hub. The number of consumers within a 1,200 km radius—with a single day's drive—is about 152 million. Their income level is quite high, thus their spending power cannot be ignored. Further, the low corporate tax rate and high educational level facilitate the choice of Ontario as the location for high value-adding investment, such as an R&D center for complex research and advanced technology. Investment in Ontario will contribute to develop high-end products and create value to any company.

A buffet dinner was served after the lecture, and participants had the opportunity to get to know reach out and speak to each other. The evening was in a warm atmosphere thanks to the generous host, Restaurant Amane.

KCBA/KPMGアジアビジネスセミナー：東南アジア戦略の変換講演者：あずさ監査法人・KCBA　竹内毅氏

2010-08-20T11:26:00.005+09:00

2010年8月4日の18:30から、大阪市福島区の「レストラン　周(あまね)」において、あずさ監査法人大阪事務所トランザクション本部(KPMG)の竹内毅氏が「東南アジア戦略の変換」に関する講演を行った。講演場は経営者やプロフェッショナルで満員になった。

まず最初に、関西カナダビジネスアソシエーション(KCBA)のカルロス・ラミレズ氏が、竹内毅氏を紹介した。その後、竹内氏は、日本がアジア諸国と比較して競争力を失っていると述べ、講演を始めた。アジア諸国が作る製品は標準化され、低価格で製造されるのに比べ、日本の製品はコストが高くつき価格も高くなるため、マーケットシェアを失っていると述べた。当日の配布資料によると、富士通、東芝、NECのような半導体メーカーの純利益率は10%以下であるのに比べ、サムスン、インテル、TSMCといった企業の純利益率は30%以上である(2004-2005)。

竹内氏は、日本企業の利益率が低い原因は、研究開発、購買、製造、マーケティングの全ての領域の非効率性にあると述べた。

竹内氏によれば、日本の電気機器の企業は、消費者の求める製品を作ることよりも、革新的な技術を発展させることに主眼を置いてきた。これらの企業は大学の研究室のように、コストを考慮することなく技術の発展を追求してきた。良い例は、20,000回コンセントに抜き差ししても壊れないテレビのコンセントである。通常の家庭では、テレビの場所を動かすのは引っ越しの時や模様替えの時のみで、20,000回も抜き差ししないものである。だから、20,000回抜き差ししても壊れないという特徴は、消費者にとって魅力があるとは言えない。

様々な業界において、日本市場は飽和し、企業は成長するために海外市場に活路を求めなければならない。アジア経済は成長を続けているので、市場としては良いが、アジア全体の所得レベルが低いために、高価格の日本製品を販売するのは難しい。

日本の製造企業の減価償却費と初期投資の高さも、日本企業の業績を悪化させている。当日の配布資料によれば、日本企業がカスタマイズされた高価な設備機器を要求することによって、経費が押し上げられている。生産設備機器を販売する企業は、標準化された簡素な機器を販売しているにも関わらず、日本の電気機器メーカーはカスタマイズされたオプション機能を求める。これによって機器の価格が跳ね上がるのである。そして日本企業製品の製造工程は複雑で高価なものとなり、高価な投資額と減価償却費が、利益率を押し下げることになる。

さらに竹内氏は、日本人は日本製品が最高の品質を持っていると考えているが、世界においては日本製品が最高品だとは考えられていないことを述べた。海外の消費者が考える品質と、日本人の考える品質が異なるという点が挙げられた。日本企業は、最先端技術イコール高品質と考えがちだが、非日本人の消費者は、品質イコール消費者のニーズの充足と考えている。日本企業におけるマーケティング不足が、消費者のニーズに合わない過度に高品質の製品を作り出しているという点を挙げた。

竹内氏の講演は、日本の教育や労務費といった問題のディスカッションに発展した。聴衆からは、製造業が現在の日本経済においてどのような役割を持つのか、といった質問が投げかけられた。また、関西でビジネスを行っている人々が、現在停滞している日本経済に立ち向かうためのアイデアを交換した。

講演の後には素晴らしい食事と飲み物が提供され、聴衆と講演者がネットワーキングを行った。

あずさ監査法人(KPMG)の竹内毅氏は、アジアにおける直接対外投資のサポートを行っている。

セミナーは、関西カナダビジネスアソシエーションと大阪商工会議所によって開催され、関西日加協会の支援のもとに、「レストラン周」において開催された。

Recap: Rethinking Corporate Strategies for South East Asia

2010-08-20T11:24:00.016+09:00

When you take a pleasant restaurant and fill it with an enthusiastic crowd and a great guest speaker, the result is an entertaining event. On August 4th 2010, レストラン周(Restaurant Amane) played host to a full house, eager to participate in a seminar lead by Mr. Tsuyoshi Takeuchi of KPMG in Noda, Osaka. The KCBA organized event titled, Rethinking Corporate Strategies for South East Asia, was sold out - attracting the likes of executives, experienced and young professionals, and professors.

After, Carlos Ramirez, Governor of the KCBA, introduced Mr. Tsuyoshi Takeuchi, the seminar began with Takeuchi commenting on the present state of Japan relative to its South East Asian counterparts in terms of business competitiveness - arguing that Japan is losing its market share in its main industries to South Eastern countries that are producing standardized products at lower costs. Specifically,companies such as Fujitsu, Toshiba, and NEC have just below 10% net profit margin, while non-Japanese companies such as Samsung, Intel, or TSMC have above 30%. (As of 2004-2005 Data)

Takeuchi attributed the low profit margins of Japanese companies to inefficiencies in business areas that should value adding such as R&D, procurement, production, and marketing. He went deeper into these areas as follows:

According to Takeuchi, Japanese electronic producers were not traditionally interested in creating a product for the consumer as much as they were focused on creating innovative technologies. Essentially, theses companies took on a model of a science lab at a university, which pursue technological advancement with little consideration of costs. The example was given of a TV power outlet that can be plugged in and out 20,000 times without damage. Unfortunately, this feature does not prove to be attractive to consumers as a TV’s location is generally fixed and the power outlet is rarely moved.

Japanese markets are saturated in many industries, and manufacturers have to expand into overseas market for growth. Asian economies are experiencing growth and therefore should be good target markets, but due to lower income levels, penetration is difficult because of the premium price that Japanese products are sold at to cover the cost of the high technological specifications attached with these products.

High depreciation and capital expenditure of Japanese manufacturing companies deteriorates the company’s performance. According to Takeuchi, it is caused by expensive equipment that is uniquely built to fit the needs of Japanese manufacturers. Equipment producers do offer standardized, more simple machines, but Japanese electronics companies want to have customized optional features, which significantly increase the price of equipment purchases.Thus, the Japanese production process becomes too expensive with large capital expenditures and depreciation decreasing the net earnings.

Takeuchi further mentioned that Japanese products are no longer regarded as the best in the world, despite the notion that many Japanese consumers do believe in the quality of Japanese products. The issue here is a disconnect between what companies and overseas consumers understand quality to be. Japanese companies may believe that cutting-edge technology is translated into high quality but that may not be true to non-Japanese consumers who see quality as something different.

Takeuchi’s presentation and findings lead into discussion concerning areas such as Japan’s education and comparative labour costs. Questions were also raised regarding the role of mass manufacturing in a modern Japanese economy. The seminar proved to be a bright spot in a seemingly dismal time for Japanese enterprise, as members of the Kansai business community actively participated in sharing ideas on strategy and overcoming the present challenges faced in the Japanese economy.

The night seamlessly transformed into a meet and greet networking event, with delicious food and cold drink to end an enjoyable evening.

Mr. Tsuyoshi Takeuchi of KPMG AZSA LLC is specialized in supporting foreign direct investment by small to middle sized manufacturing companies into Asia. Rethinking Corporate Strategies for South East Asia was organized/hosted by the Kansai Canada Business Association, co-sponsored by the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry and supported by the Canada Japan Society of the Kansai. The location was hosted by レストラン周(Restaurant Amane).

Mathew Ferguson - Communications Director

2010-07-27T11:42:00.009+09:00

Dear KCBA Members,

My name is Mathew Ferguson and it is my great pleasure to join the KCBA as the Communications Director. I look forward to taking on this position and getting to know all KCBA members and our wider Kansai-Canada community. As my first post, I’d like to briefly introduce myself and let everyone know what I hope to achieve by taking on this new commitment.

Born and raised in Newmarket, Ontario, just north of Toronto, I graduated from the University of Windsor with a Bachelor of Commerce and a concentration in Finance. Upon graduation I moved to Osaka for a 1 year contract as an English Instructor before returning to Toronto Canada to pursue a career in finance working for two of Canada’s banks. Having the experience of living in the Kansai region, I was put in touch with The Graduate School of Business at Doshisha University and decided to apply to the Global MBA program with a specialization in Sustainable Business and Modelling.

As a Canadian student of business studying in the Kansai region, I became interested in the KCBA after being introduced to it by one of its members. Before long, the Communications Director position became vacant and I subsequently applied. As the Communications Director and working closely with members of the association, I hope to convey the value of the KCBA as an expert on Kansai-Canada relations through:

- Providing regular updates of news and blog type material

- Recruiting volunteers to provide more frequent updates

- Updating group sites with a summary of recently held events

- Coordinating with other KCBA committees to market and circulate information regarding events and KCBA initiatives

I look forward to receiving your guidance and learning from all of you as I grow into this position and the KCBA. Continuous feedback is greatly appreciated and I hope to hear from you soon.

Glad to be on board!

Sincerely,

Mathew Ferguson

In Sickness and Health - Future of Japan Canada Relations

2009-10-05T09:07:00.012+09:00

Speech by Allan Edwards, Consul & Senior Trade Commissioner, Consulate of Canada in Nagoya

On October 22, the Kansai Canada Business Association hosted a business discussion by Canada’s Consul and Senior Trade Commissioner in Nagoya, with responsibility to the Kansai, Allan Edwards. The event was held at the La Perse Restaurant in Shinsaibashi and attracted more than 30 guests

The event was MCed ably by Nabil Khan who introduced KCBA President Carlos Ramirez. Carlos gave a warm introduction to Allan Edwards and reminded the audience that Mr. Edwards had deep and warm ties to the Kansai as the last Canadian Consul in Osaka. In the time that Mr. Edwards was in Osaka and since he was moved to Nagoya he has continued a professional and personal friendship with the CCCJ now KCBA that is unparalleled.

Mr. Edwards started his remarks by talking about the Japan Canada relationship. He noted that this is not an academic or theoretical concept for him. Like many in the audience, Mr. Edwards is married to a Japanese wife. He is well aware of the cultural and interpersonal differences between Canadian and Japanese people and the strengths of blending the two. He noted that it is these kinds of relationships that are the underpinning of the Canada Japan relationship as a whole. Beginning with the emigration of fisherman from Wakayama prefecture to Canada in the 1880s or the influx of Canadian missionaries around the same time, the ties between Canada and Japan have been driven by people to people relationships – heart to heart. This relationship has blossomed into the robust trade, investment and cultural partnership that our two nations enjoy today.

Mr. Edwards noted that this relationship is not without examples of difficulties though. The most obvious being the advent of World War Two where Canada and Japan forgot the ties that bind and ceased to work together. The results were devastating and the lesson is clear: When we work together there are very few challenges that we cannot overcome.

Mr. Edwards then warned the audience that Canada and Japan face a daunting challenge as a result of the global economic meltdown. This meltdown, while started outside of Canada or Japan, has nevertheless touched the lives of everyone in our two nations. The undervaluing of risk in the US and European banking sectors has lead to massive economic turmoil that has slowed economic growth, crippled international trade, shackled citizens with unemployment and bankruptcies and led to a rise in protectionist sentiment in the world’s major markets. As trading nations, Japan and Canada must resist the world trend and boldly move forward to support the concept of liberalised trade.

Mr. Edwards noted that first, the World Trade Organisation is an organisation committed to promoting the notion of free and fair trade around the world. Much of the negative sentiment reserved for the WTO by protesters around the world is mis-placed. Mr. Edwards further commented that while the concerns of these people, be they economic, environmental or cultural, are legitimate and must be considered, demonising the WTO for these grievances is perhaps misguided. The goal of the WTO is to create a global trading system that is fair and transparent for everyone. Unfortunately, the WTO is currently held up over the Doha round of negotiations and it doesn't appear that there will be a binding solution in the near future.

Mr. Edwards observed that, as trade is beneficial for all countries, and for all citizens, Canada and Japan can and should commit themselves to working together to promote free trade. That means in the short and medium term the two countries should consider bilateral and regional trade agreements to promote liberalised trade. Canada is hopeful that Japan will commit to entering into formal trade negotiations with Canada. Given Japan’s sensitivities with regard to agriculture a less comprehensive trade agreement such as an Enhanced Partnership Agreement in which the two nations can carve out certain areas of extreme concern could be the solution. Japan would benefit from freer access to Canada’s resources, technological expertise in areas such as new energy and access to the North American Free Trade zone. Canada would benefit from Japan’s manufacturing excellence, scientific expertise and global value chains.

In closing Mr. Edwards reminded the audience that given the relationship is, in its very essence, based on person to person connections, each and every person in the room has a role to play. He urged the KCBA members to talk to local politicians and business leaders and urge them to support a liberalised trade agreement with Canada. This kind of individual action is at the very heart of the Canada/Japan relationship.

Canada Festival

2009-09-29T09:08:00.001+09:00

カナダフェスティバル
・日時：2009年10月24日（土）
・時間：12：00‐17：00
・場所：ANAクラウンプラザホテル大阪
（住所：大阪市北区堂島浜1-3-1　TEL：06-6347-1112）

カナダの魅力盛りだくさん！
カナダの食生活、文化、住居、産業、観光に関する様々な
最新情報をふんだんにご紹介します。下記はほんの一例です。

・カナダ特有の食べ物や飲み物
・カナダ留学に関する情報や専門家によるカウンセリング
・カナダ観光旅行の見所
・カナダの住居および木材
・カナダのハイテクノロジー
・カナダの文化

入場者全員にカナダオリジナルグッズをプレゼント
さらに抽選で素敵なプレゼントがあたるチャンス！
国内では手に入らない2010冬季オリンピック・グッズ
カナダ体験留学、カナディアン・アイス・ワイン
メイプルシロップなどプレゼントをご用意。
ふるってご参加ください。

登録はカナダ教育連盟のをご覧ください。
＊登録の際は、カナダ教育連盟HPの右上にある、『カナダ留学フェア』をクリックし
お名前・Eメールアドレス・参加希望フェアを選択し、送信ボタンを押して下さ
い。登録が完了します。

カナダ教育連盟関西オフィス
TEL:(078) 230-6307
〒650-0002兵庫県神戸市中央区北野町4-14-5 KITANO 101
E-mail: cea.kobe@gol.com

Canada Festival
The Canadian Consulate in Nagoya, Provincial Offices, Kansai Canada
Business Association, Japan Canada Kai and Canadian Education Alliance
will host a special Canada Festival at the ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel in
Osaka on 24 October from 12pm to 5pm. Admission is FREE and visitors
will experience and receive;

- Canadian Food and beverages
- Information on and consultations with specialists on Study in Canada
- Canadian Travel information
- Canadian Housing and Wood Products
- Canadian High Tech
- Canadian Culture
- And more!

There will be presents for everyone and draws for Vancouver 2010 Winter
Olympic Goods (unavailable in Japan) and a Free Study Trip to Canada,
Canadian Ice Wine, Maple Syrup and other prizes.

Date: Saturday, October 24th
Time: 12:00－17:00
Place: ANA Crowne Plaza Osaka (1-3-1, Dojimahama, Kita-ku, Osaka,
530-0004　TEL : 06-6347-1112）

For further information, please visit Canadian Education Alliance

Canadian Education Alliance (Kansai Office)
TEL: 078-230-6307
Address : KITANO101 4-14-5 Kitano-Cho Chuo-ku Kobe Hyogo 650 0002　　
E-mail: cea.kobe@gol.com

The State of Canada-Japan Trade and Foreign Relations

2009-09-11T09:10:00.006+09:00

On September 28^th, 2009, the KCBA in co-sponsorship with the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry hosted a luncheon at the Ritz Carlton Hotel Osaka featuring a keynote speech by the Honourable David Emerson, PC,Canada’s Former Minister of Industry, Minister of International Trade and finally Foreign Affairs.

Over 50 attendees attended the event and participated enthusiastically in the discussion period after the speech.

KCBA Events Chair Nabil S. Khan acted as MC and introduced the events speakers: KCBA Chair Carlos Ramirez and Satoshi Hara, Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador-at-Large for the Kansai Region.

Mr. Ramirez gave a concise description of what he sees as the immediate major economic difficulties facing Japan and Canada – getting the crowd ready for the main event.

Ambassador Satoshi Hara spoke next. Ambassador Hara, who had been posted to

Canada

on two occasions, noted that multiculturalism in Canada is not an academic or paper concept but is practiced everyday by average Canadians. By way of example, he noted that while he lived in Canada new acquaintances rarely asked him about where he came from, but instead about his interests. He felt that this was an example of how Canadians are not interested in nationality or race, but instead in character and individuals. This made him feel welcome and included in the Canadian society.

After lunch, Mr. Emerson took the stage and gave a spontaneous yet informative talk about Canada,Canada’s role in Asia Pacific, Canada Japan relations, the current global economic challenge and his views on the way forward.

Mr. Emerson noted that the most dominant feature of Canada is its sheer size and it small population. However, despite Canada’s landmass being 26 times greater then Japan and its population only one quarter of Japan, Canada’s prosperity and living standards, just like Japan, is dependent essentially on trade and an open and vigorous international trading system.

As such, the global economic downturn has affected Canada in the same way as it has Japan. As the US and China retract, overseas markets are shrinking and protectionist sentiment is creeping back, threatening the world trading order. This is a major challenge for countries like Canada and Japan. While a global trade agreement is the ideal, Mr. Emerson expressed concern that the Doha Round of the WTO is exposing the problems that a large and diverse organization are prone to, in particular the propensity to be bogged down in details with little hope of a final agreement.

Mr. Emerson said that while the end goal is a global trading agreement, in the short to medium term, Canada and Japan need to better engage regional Asia Pacific groups outside of NAFTA and APEC, such as the P4 Group of nations (made up of Brunei, New Zealand, Chile and Singapore). He believes that in such smaller groups, countries can move forth on trade issues of mutual concern. He said Canada’s major point of attraction to these groups would be its place within NAFTA. Foreign direct investment into Canada could expect to not only profit from the Canadian domestic market but also use its investment in Canada as a launching pad for the entire North American market.

In general, the main thrust of Mr. Emerson’s argument was that Canada needs to recognize and fully exploit its comparative advantage in natural resources. He believes that these industries should no longer be considered low tech and that indeed a tremendous amount of investment and technology are necessary inputs into the natural resource sector.

Mr. Emerson acknowledged the risk in becoming a natural resource exporter noting that the Canadian dollar has become a “petro currency.” For Canada to survive the wild swings in the value of its dollar and the boom/bust cycles of the natural resource industry, Mr. Emerson suggested that national long term planning of investment in natural resources was key to combating the “Dutch disease” (the over-valuation of the national currency).

He used Norway as an example that uses its revenue from its oil industries to invest through a sovereign fund in overseas assets thereby offsetting the influx of foreign exchange into the domestic market. He suggested that Canada could pursue an overseas investment strategy that would create a large network of trading partners.

Mr. Emerson observed that Canada and Japan represent natural partners. Canada being a smaller trading nation is required to seek out technology and investment from other nations such as Japan, which is well equipped to provide both of these inputs. In return, Japan gets access to natural resources, in particular energy resources. Mr. Emerson lamented that the lack of progress in the Canada Japan relationship, in his opinion, is mostly because of Canada’s lack of engagement. For this, Mr. Emerson stated flatly, there is no excuse.

On this point, Mr. Emerson noted that he was the Minister of Foreign Affairs who signed the order to close the Canadian Consulate in Osaka in 2007, a decision with which he didn’t agree. He lamented that he had not been stronger in resisting the closure. He noted that it is time to move forward and work to bring the Canadian government back to the important region of the Kansai.

Mr. Emerson ended his remarks with a call to arms for all those interested in the Canada Kansai/Canada Japan relationship, noting that the heart of the relationship is citizen to citizen. Only if enough citizens engage in the relationship will governments start to engage each other. He cited the KCBA Kansai Canada Friendship Inukshuk at Keihan Nakanoshima Watanabebashi station as a great example of this. He congratulated the organisation for a job well done.

A much too brief Q&A session followed Mr. Emerson’s remarks – too brief because it seemed that Mr. Emerson was just getting warmed up! Mr. Emerson when asked to explain the reasons behind his success in all endeavours he had undertaken. He answered, “Taking Risks and good luck. Too many people are concerned with ‘saving face’ and letting good opportunities pass them buy. Most of my friends told me that I was crazy to take the business opportunities that I did, such as managing a small provincial bank, but I took every opportunity that presented itself and made the best of it.”

Good advice for individuals doing business in today’s current market situation.

KCBA Late Summer Networking

2009-09-10T09:14:00.004+09:00

KCBA Late Summer Networking

KCBA hosted its first meishi kokan (business card exchange) event entitled "Late Summer Networking" for KCBA members and the Kansai business community on September 29^th, 2009. The event attracted close to 50 people and followed closely on the heels of the tremendously successful luncheon presentation of former Canadian Foreign Minister David Emerson held the previous day at the Ritz Carlton Osaka. This networking session took place at the Restaurant Osteria Corso Italia in west Umeda. The restaurant provided a wide range of Italian cuisine, wine, beer and other beverages in an elegant yet casual atmosphere.

Most guests were very pleased with the format of this event: free of charge for all. Attendees were asked to pay c.o.d. for food and beverages. The KCBA Events Committee has said it will definitely consider more events in this format. In general, these networking sessions are excellent forums to meet and make new business contacts. As most foreign business people are aware, personal relationships in Japan can make or break ones business. The information, contacts and goodwill developed over years is crucial in determining success in this market. In a relationship-based culture such as Japan, getting to know ones clients more deeply gives added importance to socializing and networking, especially in reference to Kansai’s traditional style of doing business.

While business was on most people’s minds at the event, a healthy dosage of relaxation and a friendly atmosphere made for a particularly enjoyable evening. The venue hosts, Corso Italia, gave the event attendees free reign over the bar area. Corso’s hospitable staff did much in the way of providing a satisfying and entertaining evening for all. Please stay tuned for further networking events on the horizon.

Canada Day Party 2009: Pays Homage to Member of Community

2009-08-24T23:57:00.004+09:00

On June 30th, 2009, the annual Canada Day Party was held at a very unique and distinguished location, the old Grand Dame of Osaka venues, the elegant Osaka Chuo Denki Club. The Club was built almost 100 years ago in 1914 and was designated as a Cultural Heritage Building by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in February, 2009.

As in previous years, the event was co-hosted and sponsored with the Canada Japan Society of the Kansai and featured some very special guest speakers. CJSK President Mr. Iwao Takai gave the opening remarks. In his speech, he presented a special Certificate of Appreciation from the CJSK to Mr. Tak Matsuba for 50 years of activities within the CJSK mostly as an Executive Officer of the Society.

In addition, newly appointed Minister and Deputy Head of Mission at the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo, Mr. Robert Derouin gave the keynote address in which he noted the strong relations between Canada and the Kansai. Finally, in his first appearance at an event, Mr Noburo Nakahira, President of The Canada Japan Society, gave warm greetings to all of those present.

Canada Day Celebration

2009-07-16T08:13:00.002+09:00

Mr.Derouin, Minister & Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Canada and 70 people gathered at Chuo Denki Club to celebrate Canada’s 142^nd birthday on June 30, 2009. KCBA organized the event jointly with The Canada-Japan Society of the Kansai (CJSK) at the prestigious heritage building located in the heart of Downtown Osaka and a stone's throw from the Inukshuk monument.

The event was special to KCBA as it was the first big event since established this February and the year 2009 marked the 80^th anniversary of the opening in Japan of Canada’s first diplomatic mission in Asia. For this Canada Day Party the members and guests, who have special ties with Canada private and/or business, celebrated together. Mr.Nakahira, President of The Canada Japan Society in Tokyo joined us. Another person with whom we celebrated together was Mr. Tak Matsuba, a director of CJSK. It was his 50^th anniversary as a member of CJSK! It was a happy beautiful night for us all.

Special thanks go to the KCBA corporate members namely Ida Corporation, Kinder Kids and Tsuda Sangyo. Door prizes were donated by Sun Farm Co., Sun Clutch Co, and Seaborn Japan. Mr. Edwards, Consul, Consulate of Canada, Nagoya extended a full support to make the event successful.

KCBA Member Making Headlines in Japan and Canada

2009-07-08T15:51:00.003+09:00

Ayako Tsuda of Tsuda Sangyo who is a member of the KCBA and also sits on the Board of Governors recently made big news in the Vancouver Sun and at the mint of Japan.

While visiting Japan for research on the Emperor’s visit to Canada, Joanne Lee-Young, Business reporter for the Vancouver Sun, interviewed Ayako Tsuda and used her family business, Tsuda Sangyo as the frame for an in-depth analysis of the issues between Japan and Canada’s historical business relationship.

Please visit this website for the article: http://www.vancouversun.com/Business/Canada+still+rises+Japan/1738839/story.html

Additionally, Mrs. Tsuda was selected to assist the mint of Japan to chose the 10,000 lucky winners of a Commemorative set of coins celebrating the 500 year history of Japan and Canada.

Please see this link for a video of the exciting selection process. http://www.mint.go.jp/coin/coin_topics/mov/20090626.wmv

Way to go Aya !! Thank you for representing the business men and women of Canada and Japan in a positive way.

Governor Hashimoto's Reforms

2009-06-02T16:32:00.002+09:00

Eric Johnston, Deputy Editor of the Kansai Bureau of The Japan Times on May 28th, 2009 at the Ototomo Cafe in Shinsaibashi gave a stimulating presentation on Osaka Prefecture Governor Toru Hashimoto’s attempts at reforming Osaka and, indeed, the entire Kansai political and economic structures. (For the full text of his speech, please click here). The event was organized by the Kansai Canada Business Association and co-sponsored by the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Eric Johnston discussed his views on the current struggle for reform by Osaka Governor Hashimoto. Regional integration is one of the governor’s top policy proposals. The Governor envisions one large regional economic unit covering all nine prefectures in the Kansai region. Mr. Johnston spoke about how this policy and others will impact on the political/business climate of the region.

As a 20-year resident of the Kansai, there are few people with a better understanding of the pulse of Kansai politics and economics than Eric Johnston. Since 1997, Mr. Johnston has worked for The Japan Times and now serves as Deputy Editor for the Osaka bureau. He has covered everything from the Kyoto Protocol conference to the G-8 Summits in both Okinawa and Hokkaido. Mr. Johnston writes feature stories on Kansai area politics and society, as well as national issues ranging from the U.S.-Japan relationship to nuclear power to human rights.

After Mr. Johnston’s speech, there was a lively Q&A session followed by a networking reception with food and beverage.

Christmas Party 2008

2009-04-03T16:36:00.002+09:00

The annual Christmas Party held in co-sponsorship with the Canada Japan Society of the Kansai was celebrated on December 4th at the City Plaza Osaka Hotel. This year's special guest speakers were KCBa Chair Carlos Ramirez, Nagoya Consul and Trade Commissioner Allan Edwards and CJSK President Iwao Takai who gave the toast to kick off the celebration. The Party followed the business seminar presentation that was held earlier in the day that featured former Japanese Ambassador to Canada Mr. Kensaku Hogen and Mr. Edwards.

In his opening remarks, Carlos Ramirez paid homage to the CJSK on its 50th anniversary noting the longevity of the CJSK and how its vast experience and activities have been a model for other Canadian organizations in the region including the KCBA. Mr. Edwards also congratulated the CJSK for its ardent support of Canada over the past 50 years. Mr. Edwards also took time to reminisce on the main events of 2008 including laudatory comments on the Kansai-Canada Celebration held in October with the erection of the Kansai-Canada Friendship Inukshuk on permanent display at Watanabebashi Station on the newly inaugurated Keihan Nakanoshima Train line as the focal point of this event.

Canada-Japan Relations: The Past and the Future

2009-04-01T16:23:00.003+09:00

The KCBA co-sponsored, together with the Canada Japan Society of the Kansai (CJSK), its first business seminar as an Association. The seminar entitled “Japan-Canada Relations – The Past 50 Years and How We Should Proceed to the Next 50 Years” took place on December 4th, 2008 at the City Plaza Osaka Hotel. The presentation was held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the CJSK and held in conjunction with the Christmas Party organized by both the KCBA and CJSK.

The seminar featured two main speakers: Former Japanese Ambassador to Canada, Kensaku Hogen and Nagoya Consul and Trade Commissioner Allan Edwards. Mr. Edwards opened the session with a speech full of engaing facts including the large presence of Canadian residents in the Kansai that numbers more than 2,200. In addition, he noted the strong commercial bilateral ties with two way trade in goods reaching C$24.6 billion in 2007. Japan remains a key partner for Canada representing our third largest trading partner and sixth largest source of Foreign Direct Investment.

David Leangen—KCBA Governor

2009-03-25T11:23:00.002+09:00

I am delighted to accept the post of Governor for the Kansai Canada Business Association. Thank you to all our members for supporting me. I look forward to working with the other enthusiastic and knowledgeable members of the Board of Governors.

Additionally, I am also pleased to accept the additional posts of Communications Co-Chair and Technical Advisor to the KCBA. I hope that my services will be of value to all our members.

In line with the vision of our Chair, Carlos Ramirez, in line with my own area of expertise, I have begun implementing an information system that I hope will assist the activities of the KCBA. The goals of this system are:

To assist with the management of the KCBA;
To make dissemination of information simpler for all members;
To make the KCBA's activities more visible in the online world; and
To eventually provide value to our members and their business activities.

I welcome any ideas and criticisms and enthusiasticly encourage your participation in this development process. I also ask that you bear with me through the initial bumps in the road!

KCBA Celebrates Its Foundation

2009-03-09T16:30:00.004+09:00

On February 25th, without much pomp or circumstance, the Kansai Canada Business Association officially celebrated its birth. At this first Annual General Meeting of the Association, the new constitution was explained to members of the Kansai Canada business community. With over 45 people in attendance, the unanimous vote to approve the new constitution officially launched activities for the KCBA.

It should be noted, however, that the KCBA has been active since May 2008 when interim executive members founded the Association to take charge of the tremendously successful Kansai Canada Friendship Inukshuk event.

Among attendees to witness the celebration of the founding of the Association were Canadian Consul and Trade Commissioner in Nagoya, Allan Edwards, and the Director of International Affairs at the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Yasutsugu Kohzuki. Both gentlemen offered warm public remarks congratulating all those assembled at the General Meeting.

In addition, KCBA Chair Carlos Ramirez, Vice Chairs Tod Baudin and Itsuo Naniwa spoke on different topics to the audience regarding news and information concerning the Association. Of most importance, was the explanation of rules and regulations concerning the first formal elections of the new KCBA Board of Governors that took place last March.

The KCBA would also like to thank their hosts at the Italian Restaurant Corso Osteria Italia. The restaurant offered up a sumptuous buffet with wine, beer, coffee and desert that combined with a noisy but enthusiastic networking session for all those in attendance.

A New History Begins

2009-03-01T16:22:00.007+09:00

GREETINGS!

I would like to begin by congratulating the Kansai Canada business community on this momentous occasion of the founding of the KCBA. The creation of our Association represents both a heavy responsibility and unlimited opportunities. Having agreed on the evening of February 25th to set this organization into motion, we have all consented to represent Canada and Canadian business interests in the best light possible to the people of the Kansai. We should not minimize this task that we as a community, have taken upon ourselves.

At the same time, we should welcome this challenge, as the opportunities for success are boundless. As a member of your Board of Governors, I can assure you that the Board will do everything within its means to make this a successful, noteworthy Association. We will forever remain true to our main goal of promoting the Kansai/Japan-Canada business relationship.

The raison d’etre of any business grouping must be two–fold:
1) Our first mission will be the dissemination and leveraging of information to the benefit of the membership. To put it simply, timely information is now the basic building block to any successful business. The KCBA will collect relevant business information and distribute it to its members. It will also act as a forum of information exchange. Furthermore, at our Speaker Events, we hope to have presenters who can impart opportune information on topics of current interest.

2) Jinmyaku. In English, the term is known as networking. In every country and culture, networking is a necessity for business. As many of you are already aware, in Japan and particularly in the Kansai, networking is of even more significance than elsewhere. Personal relationships are the very basis of a successful business model in Japan. All of our events will be occasions for meeting people involved in business, government and academia.

Our first event last October 17th, the unveiling of the Kansai Canada Friendship Inukshuk on Keihan Railway's new Nakanoshima line, has provided us with a deep well of good will. The KCBA already has a tremendous amount of credibility, not to mention great friendship, with our partners of this event: Osaka City Hall, Osaka Prefecture, OCCI and Keihan Railway. We hope to engage them in a meaningful and mutually beneficial way.

One final comment: we are in turbulent economic times but this should not deter us from the work ahead. Indeed, in our own small way, the KCBA hopes to be part of the solution in helping businesses combat the crisis. We hope to assist businesses by being a source of reliable and useful information as well as by enlarging the networks of our members. We look forward to seeing all of our members contributing toward the accomplishments of these outlined goals.

Let’s make Canada proud again in the Kansai!

Carlos Ramirez
Chair
Kansai Canada Business Association

Kansai Canada Celebration and the Friendship Inukshuk

2009-01-01T16:15:00.001+09:00

On October 17th in Osaka, Japan, The Kansai Canada Business Association (KCBA) celebrated the opening of a new train line in downtown Osaka with the presentation of a monument to the people of the Kansai area. It was a long evening of festivities entitled The Kansai Canada Celebration. The Kansai region consists of 6 prefectures in the southern western portion of Japan’s main island, Honshu. The region is considered the cultural heartland of Japan and includes the cities of Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe and Nara.

The central element of the ceremony was the unveiling of a full sized Inukshuk standing at 2.6 meters in height. The work was designed and created by master painter and sculptor Bill Nasogaluak of Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories. The piece, titled the Kansai Canada Fiendship Inukshuk, weighed close to 6,000 kg. Mr. Nasogaluak, who participated in the ceremony, remarked that the outstretched arms – 1.75 meters in length – represented a bridge between Japan and Canada and the longstanding friendship between the countries.

Mr. Nasogaluak’s Inukshuks are gaining further prominence on the global stage of art with Inukshuks in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and now Osaka.

The new Keihan Nakanoshima train line is an extension of one of the main commuters lines that connects Osaka city to Kyoto city located in the north east at a 40 minute distance. The new line will run underground on the island of Nakanoshima the home of Osaka’s City Hall, the Osaka International Convention Center and other important landmarks of the city. It is expected that 30,000 to 40,000 commuters will use the new line on a daily basis.

Of important note to Canada, was the fact that the walls and ceilings of the four new stations on the line were adorned with approximately 10,000 m2 of Canadian Western Red Cedar from the Province of British Columbia giving the esthetics of the stations an impressive atmosphere similar to that of luxurious hotel lobby, museum or sitting room. The wood in itself was unique as it was imbued with fire resistant technology. The Keihan Railway Company, operators of the new train line, boasted that it was the first modern train line in the world to use wood in the interior of a train station. In general, the use of wood in the interior design of public infrastructure projects is usually avoided since it is considered a fire hazard.

In attendance at the ceremony were Canada’s Ambassador Designate to Japan Jonathan Fried, Osaka City Mayor Kunio Hiramatsu, Osaka Prefecture Vice Governor Yasuyuki Ogawa and KCBA Chair Carlos Ramirez among many other important dignitaries. Mr. Ramirez, in his address to the 190 guests assembled, suggested that the strong ties between the countries often go unnoticed so occasions such as this are important reminders of those strong bonds.

The ceremony was followed by an elegant reception held at the Rhiga Royal Hotel also located on Nakanoshima Island. The 120-some guests were transported from the ceremony to the reception by way of the new railway line as the hotel is located at the last stop along the line. The guests were treated to an 8 minute ride on posh and newly designed railway cars.

At the hotel reception, Ambassador Fried, Vice Governor Ogawa, Keihan Railway President Seinosuke Ueda and OCCI Vice Chair Makato Kato all made remarks to the close to 200 people assembled. In addition to a sumptuous buffet and an open bar, the event featured a trade show with numerous exhibitors displaying merchandize and product information at trade booths around the room.

KCBA News

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From deficit to surplus: Lessons for Japan

KCBA & CCCJ Enhanced Ties / KCBA CCCJ の提携について

A Lesson in Entrepreneurship from Terrie Lloyd

Information on Radiation Levels in Japan

Radiation Health Risk: Advice to Canadians

Canada's Response

Recap: Board of Governors Meeting

Happy Holidays from the KCBA!

2010 KCBA Autumn Golf Classic – A Thundering Success

関西カナダビジネスアソシエーション(KCBA) ビジネス・セミナー カナダ- オンタリオ州と関西間の最新ビジネスチャンス

KCBA Business Seminar Business Opportunities between Ontario and Kansai - An Update

KCBA/KPMGアジアビジネスセミナー：東南アジア戦略の変換 講演者：あずさ監査法人・KCBA 竹内毅氏

Recap: Rethinking Corporate Strategies for South East Asia

Mathew Ferguson - Communications Director

In Sickness and Health - Future of Japan Canada Relations

Canada Festival

The State of Canada-Japan Trade and Foreign Relations

KCBA Late Summer Networking

KCBA Late Summer Networking

Canada Day Party 2009: Pays Homage to Member of Community

Canada Day Celebration

KCBA Member Making Headlines in Japan and Canada

Governor Hashimoto's Reforms

Christmas Party 2008

Canada-Japan Relations: The Past and the Future

David Leangen—KCBA Governor

KCBA Celebrates Its Foundation

A New History Begins

Kansai Canada Celebration and the Friendship Inukshuk

関西カナダビジネスアソシエーション(KCBA) ビジネス・セミナーカナダ- オンタリオ州と関西間の最新ビジネスチャンス

KCBA/KPMGアジアビジネスセミナー：東南アジア戦略の変換講演者：あずさ監査法人・KCBA　竹内毅氏