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Minister Fast Highlights Canadian Commercial Success Stories in Japan

April 11, 2013,
Tokyo, Japan  


Minister Fast Promotes Canadian Blueberry Exports to Japan (top left)

The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway (left), meets with Yoshitaka Watanabe (centre) and Hideyo Otaki (right) of Aeon Global Merchandising Company Limited. The British Columbia Blueberry Council is teaming up with Aeon Group, one of Japan’s largest retail chains, to export fresh blueberries to Japan. Canada is a net blueberry exporter, with exports in 2012 totalling over 29 million kg, with an estimated value of $110 million. Japan is Canada’s second-largest export destination for blueberries, after the United States.

Minister Fast Promotes Quality Canadian Wood Products in Japan (top right)

The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway (left), meets with Takashi Kikkawa of Maple Homes International (right) a Japanese buyer of premium wood products from the Atlantic region of Canada. Canadian building products companies export quality wood products, such as flooring, staircases and siding, to the lucrative Japanese market. Japan is the third-largest export market for Canadian forest products.

Ministers Fast and Paradis Celebrate Toon Boom Agreement with Japanese Gaming Company (bottom left)

The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, and the Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture), witness the signing of an agreement between HeartBit Company Limited of Sapporo (left) and Emmy-Award-winning Toon Boom Animation Inc. of Montréal (right) to jointly develop animation applications for smart phones and tablet platforms for the Asian market. According to the Information and Communications Technology Council, between 2,300 and 3,200 digital media firms operate in Canada, employing more than 52,000 people and generating annual revenues exceeding $3.5 billion.

Minister Fast Promotes Canadian Electronic Games Industry (bottom right)

The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, meets with Hitoshi Kumagai, President and CEO of HeartBit Company Ltd., a Japanese digital content developer. HeartBit Company Ltd. recently signed an agreement with Panoramic Software of British Columbia to jointly localize game titles for smart phone platforms for the Asian market.

Canada is home to eight of the top 10 electronic game publishers, including Electronic Arts Inc., Activision Blizzard Inc. and Ubisoft.


Minister Fast and the Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors), are leading a five-day trade mission to advance the interests of Canadian businesses in China and Japan. Increased trade will in turn lead to more jobs and greater prosperity in Canada. 

For more information, please consult Deepening Trade with Asia.

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For further information, media representatives may contact:

Rudy Husny
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Ed Fast
Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway
613-992-7332

Trade Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
613-996-2000
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