Trade Ties with U.S. Tarnish, Canadian PM Visits Japan-India

JAKARTA - Canadian Prime Minister (PM) Mark Carney will visit Japan, India, and Australia from Thursday (26/2) to March 7 amid trade tensions with the United States.

During his visit to Tokyo, Carney will hold talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to strengthen joint investment and partnerships in clean energy, critical minerals, and food security.

Amid rising trade tensions with Washington under President Donald Trump, Ottawa is exploring diversifying its trading partners. Carney's office described the countries he would visit as Canada's three strongest partners in the Indo-Pacific region.

"In an increasingly uncertain world, Canada is focused on what we can control," Carney said, as quoted by ANTARA from Kyodo, Tuesday, February 24.

"We are building new partnerships abroad to create greater certainty, security, and prosperity at home," he added.

Meanwhile, the main spokesman for the Japanese government, Minoru Kihara, in Tokyo on Tuesday, said the visit would be Carney's first visit to Japan as prime minister and would last for two days until March 7.

"Through Prime Minister Carney's visit, we hope that the friendship and cooperation between our two countries will be deepened," said Cabinet Chief Secretary Kihara.

Kihara explained that Carney and Takaichi are expected to hold "honest and open" discussions on various topics, including strengthening bilateral relations as well as regional and international developments.

According to his office, Carney will first visit India and then Australia before heading to Japan.