NEWS RELEASES
EGGLETON TO VISIT JAPANAND MEET 'QUAD' TRADE MINISTERS
April 16, 1996 No. 69
EGGLETON TO VISIT JAPAN
AND MEET "QUAD" TRADE MINISTERS
The Honourable Art Eggleton, Minister for International Trade, will visit Japan
from April 19-24, 1996, and attend the Quadrilateral Trade Ministers' Meeting, or
"Quad," being held in Kobe on April 19-21.
At the Quad, the ministers' discussion will focus on preparations for the first
Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Singapore in
December 1996. Working closely with trading partners in the WTO, Quad members are
building support for a successful ministerial conference. The Kobe Quad is an
opportunity to exchange views on the state of the preparations and to identify
priority areas for further trade liberalization and rule making.
The Quad is an informal forum of ministers responsible for international trade
from the European Union, Japan, the United States and Canada. It has met twice
yearly since 1982.
"Quad ministers can play a vital part and lead by example in setting the pace for
a successful meeting in Singapore," Mr. Eggleton said. "Increased trade and
investment are essential to growth and job creation in all countries, both
developed and developing. A strong, rules-based trading system is the best
guarantee for achieving this."
The Quad meeting will also draw attention to the successful reconstruction efforts
in Kobe following the Hanshin earthquake in January 1995. Canada made a
significant contribution to rebuilding the city.
On April 22, Mr. Eggleton will visit Sendai, a northern Japanese city which
presents growing opportunities for Canadian business outside the traditional Tokyo
and Osaka markets. He will help inaugurate the Selport Tsurugaoka Housing
Development, a 59-unit Canadian prefabricated housing display, which features
homes developed by three Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
"Canadian exporters, particularly SMEs, have made important inroads into the
Japanese housing market. In fact, Canadian prefabricated housing exports have
more than doubled in the last year to $130 million, making Canada Japan's largest
supplier," said Mr. Eggleton.
In Tokyo on April 22 and 23, Mr. Eggleton will meet Minister of International
Trade and Industry Shunpei Tsukahara and senior representatives of Japanese
industry. He will also deliver a keynote address to a Canadian Chamber of
Commerce in Japan luncheon and inaugurate an innovative campaign to promote
tourism and Canadian fish product exports.
On April 24, Mr. Eggleton will participate in a round table with Canadian business
representatives active in the Asia Pacific region to discuss Canadian trade and
investment prospects.
- 30 -
For further information on specific events during the Minister's program in Japan,
media representatives may contact:
Media Relations Office
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(613) 995-1874
| 
