NEWS RELEASES
JAPANESE TRADE DELEGATION VISITS CANADA SEEKING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
October 4, 2000 (1:15 p.m. EDT) No. 250
JAPANESE TRADE DELEGATION VISITS CANADA SEEKING
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
International Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew welcomed this week a delegation of about
60 Japanese executives from more than 40 Japanese information technology (IT) firms
hoping to forge ties with Canadian companies.
"Canadian businesses have worked hard to establish links with Japan and that hard
work is paying off. Canada has earned an excellent reputation in the IT sector," said
Mr. Pettigrew. "This visit presents another opportunity for Canadians to develop their
partnerships with Japanese firms."
The mission, organized by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), will be led
by JETRO Chairman Noboru Hatakeyama. Delegates will visit Vancouver, Ottawa,
Toronto and Waterloo from October 1 to 7 to establish partnerships with Canadian IT
firms.
The visit is a result of a week-long Canadian High Tech Symposium held in Japan last
May, in which more than 800 Japanese business representatives participated and 30
Canadian IT companies were showcased. In the last six months alone, 17 Canadian IT
companies have set up or decided to open offices in Japan.
The May symposium was a follow-up to the Team Canada trade mission to Japan last
fall. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, accompanied by Minister Pettigrew and the provincial
and territorial leaders, led a the trade delegation of more than 270 Canadian business
representatives to Osaka and Tokyo. The Team Canada mission helped develop a
much better understanding of the wide variety of competitive products and services that
Canada offers, especially in advanced technology.
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
Sylvie Bussières
Office of the Minister for International Trade
(613) 992-7332
Media Relations Office
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(613) 995-1874
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