Bridges: Cultural Bridging and Impact: How does the Tokai Japan Canada Society facilitate cultural exchange and mutual understanding between Japan and Canada, and what impact have these initiatives had on the local communities in both countries?
Mr. Shoji Amano, President, Tokai Japan Canada Society: For over 20 years, the Tokai Japan Canada Society (TJCS) has been an important bridge of cultural exchange and understanding between Japan and Canada. The society has left a lasting mark on the local communities through the organization of numerous activities and events in the Tokai region.
Every year, TJCS brings a slice of Canada to Tokai with lively Canada Day celebrations, family-friendly Camp Canada experiences, and heartwarming Thanksgiving dinners. The Canadian food and wine-tasting events are particularly popular, offering locals a culinary journey to Canada without leaving Japan.
Over the years, we have also made efforts to share local Japanese cultural events, adding a Canadian twist to beloved Japanese traditions. We have organized Hanami (cherry blossom viewing) events and introduced the art of Rakugo, a traditional Japanese storytelling form, to Canadians and the international community. Additionally, our cultural site-seeing tours for members (both Canadian and otherwise) have enriched participants’ appreciation of Japanese history and heritage.
The TJCS has also celebrated the spirit of friendship and cooperation between sister cities in the Tokai region and Canada. This has included participating in cultural festivals, setting up engaging booths to share information about Canada, and welcoming visiting Olympic athletes. Additionally, in collaboration with the Kariya Friendship Association (KIFA), we continue to organize an annual street hockey event where local children and adults get a hands-on experience with one of Canada’s favourite sports.
For over 20 years, the Tokai Japan Canada Society (TJCS) has been an important bridge of cultural exchange and understanding between Japan and Canada.
Shoji Amano, President of Tokai Japan Canada Society
Our leaders and members are also always happy to provide essential advice to Japanese individuals planning to study or work in Canada and to welcome and assist those returning to Japan, encouraging them to share their experiences and strengthen cultural connections.
Visiting Canadians also benefit from the guidance and translation services offered by the society, making them feel welcome and helping them make the most of their visit to Japan.
Through these activities and initiatives, the Tokai Japan Canada Society continues to foster mutual understanding and appreciation between the two cultures while strengthening the bonds of friendship and community in the Tokai region.
Business Collaboration and Support: Can you provide examples of how TJCS has supported or facilitated business collaborations between Japanese and Canadian companies, and what specific services or resources do you offer to businesses looking to enter either market?
Central to the creation and goals of the Tokai Japan Canada Society (TJCS) is our strong relationship with the Canadian Consulate in Nagoya. Through this partnership, we have supported business and commercial initiatives, providing opportunities for our members to foster collaborations between Japanese and Canadian companies.
We also often find ourselves in a unique position to enable Japanese corporations to secure an audience with the Canadian Ambassador, creating valuable opportunities for high-level dialogue and networking.
Central to the creation and goals of the Tokai Japan Canada Society (TJCS) is our strong relationship with the Canadian Consulate in Nagoya. Through this partnership, we have supported business and commercial initiatives, providing opportunities for our members to foster collaborations between Japanese and Canadian companies.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, TJCS had regularly organized business activities through our “Canada Means Business” series, which included networking and meet-and-greet events, speaking engagements, and seminars focused on various aspects of Canadian industry, including building materials, automotive, manufacturing, aerospace, and technology, again, often in collaboration with the Canadian consulate.
These seminars and networking opportunities provided a platform for sharing industry insights and fostering professional connections. Although TJCS is not specifically positioned as a “match-maker” between Japanese and Canadian businesses, we frequently facilitated introductions that lead to fruitful collaborations. For example, we recently assisted a Canadian-based accounting firm by aligning their annual business development trip with a large gala event we co-hosted in November and helped them promote local seminars, significantly boosting their outreach efforts.
In addition to the opportunities and initiatives with the Canadian government, we have supported and participated in activities organized by the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) – Chubu chapter and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Japan (CCCJ) in Tokyo, further broadening our network of business collaborations.
Through these initiatives, TJCS has strengthened business ties between Japan and Canada, offering vital support and opportunities for collaboration. We look forward to expanding our efforts to foster further business growth and initiatives in the future.
Future Goals and Strategic Plans: What are the TJCS’s primary goals for the next five years, and how do you plan to enhance and expand your activities to foster stronger bilateral relations between Japan and Canada?
We are proud of our organization as it appeals to a wide range of interest and is very open to individual members, corporate members, Canadians, Japanese, and other foreign nationals alike.
TJCS has something for everyone! As far as I know, we are the only such organization in the Tokai Region. My presidency started 3 months ago and I have already grasped many aspects of the society, but am not yet fully assimilated to the status quo. As such, now is a good opportunity for us to reconsider what direction the society takes in the future. That can only be done when we have a fresh point of view, so I think it becomes my role to trigger this movement.
We are proud of our achievements over the past 20 years, and look forward to improving upon those original objectives for an even stronger Society and enhance our ability to foster relations between Canada and Japan/Tokai.
TJCS was established to promote the development of social, cultural, and commercial relations between Canada and the Tokai region (Aichi, Gifu, Mie, and Shizuoka). To support the activities of the Canadian Consulate in Nagoya in an effort to provide business and commercial support to its members is also one of our major objectives. We are proud of our achievements over the past 20 years, and look forward to improving upon those original objectives for an even stronger Society and enhance our ability to foster relations between Canada and Japan/Tokai.
TJCS has reactivated many social events, post Covid, and we had a splendid party celebrating Canada Day with well over 100 people in attendance on June 29th, 2024 (Sat). After this successful event, we are energized to continue working hard to ensure that the TJCS continues to evolve and improve with its primary aim of being beneficial to Canadians, Japanese, and other foreign nationals in the Tokai Region.
The Tokai Region is host to many major companies, from a variety of industries (automobile, manufacturing, aerospace, etc), which have business connections with Canada, and also plays host to many young people who are interested in Canada. These demographics create a very big advantage for us, as a society located in the region.
Notwithstanding our pride, we must not rest on our laurels. We know that we have not adequately delivered on business related activities since, and even preceding, the pandemic. However, now that we are well out of Covid, it’s time to “get back to business”, as they say. Our first priority, looking forward, is to reactivate commercial related activities that provide maximum value to our members and other regional constituents.
Through the great efforts of our dedicated volunteers, I am confident that we will continue to make a positive contribution to all parties concerned.
