CCCJ welcomes steps by Canada and Japan leading towards bilateral Economic Partnership (free trade) Agreement

The Canadian and Japanese governments announced on February 23 that they will launch a joint study to examine the potential for a bilateral economic partnership (free trade) agreement.

Japan is the world’s third-largest economy and Canada’s largest source of job creating investment from Asia. It is also Canada’s fourth-largest merchandise export market totalling almost $9.2 billion in 2010 - an increase of over ten percent compared to the previous year.

In a statement issued on February 23, the CCCJ strongly endorsed the announcement noting that Canada and Japan cannot afford to fall behind moves by other countries and regional blocs to strike their own trade deals or other expanded trade efforts.

See link below for the full text of the CCCJ February 23 news release.