Transcript
[Upbeat music begins]
[An aerial view of a Japanese city at night. Cut to a fast-paced street scene filled with lights and people.]
Japanese market is highly competitive market. In terms of taste, quality, design and the price.
[A group of friends laugh and talk while eating at a restaurant in Japan. A woman looks at two vending machines.]
[The screen fades to black. An animated red and yellow maple leaf appears. The camera zooms in on the leaf to reveal a white background with a spinning red and white globe and on-screen text.]
[Text on screen: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada – Canadian Agri-Food Trade Commissioner Service]
[New text appears next to the globe.]
[Text on screen: Market Opportunities – Colombia, Ethiopia, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico]
[The list fades, leaving only “Japan” in bold. A black pin drops on the globe to mark Japan. The scene cuts to Takashi Furukawa speaking at a trade show.]
[Text on screen: Takashi Furukawa – Trade Commissioner, Agriculture Market Development Consulate of Canada]
[Takashi Furukawa stands and speaks to the camera.]
My name is Takashi Furukawa. I am a Trade Commissioner responsible for Agriculture and Agri-Food at the Canadian Consulate in Nagoya Japan.
[Cut to a white background with red and black text and a faint outline of Japan.]
[Text on screen: Japan Market Snapshot – Population: 123.5M – 4th largest economy in the world – Top Canadian imports: Pork, canola seeds, wheat, soy beans]
The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service has offices in multiple locations in Japan…
[An aerial view of Japan. Cut to a city street showing tall buildings.]
…and has built close relationships with local contacts in each region.
[Two employees talk and work together in an office with city views.]
Therefore, it is very important to understand the characteristics of each country and take the time to build a relationship with a local contacts.
[Takashi speaks with a colleague at a trade show, greets attendees, and hands out his business card.]
[Takashi speaks to the camera. Cut to a sunrise timelapse over the city skyline.]
Canadian companies often ask how they can find the right partner for both retail and the bulk products.
[An overhead view of a large crosswalk filled with people. Cut to shoppers browsing food at a Japanese market. A timelapse shows people crossing a busy intersection.]
So Japan is an important market for many Canadian agriculture and agri-food…
[Workers move crates of produce in a warehouse. Cut to a close-up of fresh seafood on display, then to a bowl of rice and meat with chopsticks.]
…fish and seafood products including beef, pork, wheat…
[A close-up of a golden wheat field ready for harvest. Cut to a bowl of soybeans.]
…non-GMO soybeans, canola seeds and the list goes on.
[A combine harvests crops in a field. Aerial view of a large cargo ship leaving port.]
In 2024, Japan imported 245,000 tonnes of Canadian pork, including frozen and chilled.
[A crane lifts a shipping container. Aerial view of a cargo ship docked beside stacked containers.]
Nowadays, you know, we see, Canadian pork is sold at, you know, almost every, supermarket to retail outlets.
[Takashi speaks to the camera.]
So, I think it’s one of the successful cases. Canadian beef is tasty and people have a good image of Canada, so the product is well accepted.
[A close-up of a crowded Japanese street market with people walking and shopping.]
The CPTPP has gradually reduced tariffs on many agricultural food products, making it an important factor…
[An aerial view of a combine harvesting a crop field. Close-up of the field.]
…for Japanese companies considering importing from Canada.
[Takashi speaks to the camera.]
Also there are many foods manufactured in Japan…
[An overhead view of packaged foods. Fast-motion timelapse of a warehouse filled with crates.]
…producing a wide range of high quality products. Canadian companies need to compete with Japanese manufacturers. You need to explain what makes your product unique and why consumers choose your product.
[Takashi sits at a table with a salesperson at the trade show, looking through pamphlets together.]
In Japan, consumers have the habit shopping frequently.
[A timelapse of a busy Japanese street. Close-up of steaming street food, then a person eating it.]
In order to sell retail products in Japan…
[A close-up of Takashi walking around the trade show, looking at packaged products with a salesperson.]
…it is important to have small package sizes, excellent packaging design and price remains the key consideration. We are always happy to meet Canadian companies, attentive to clients needs and strive to provide quality and timely services. So please contact us at any time.
[Takashi smiles next to a Canadian flag at the trade show.]
[Cut to a white background with black and red text.]
[Text on screen: Contact us today – tradecommissioner.gc.ca]
[The Canadian and Japanese flags wave side by side.]
[Upbeat music ends]
[Text on screen: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada – Agriculture et Agroalimentaire Canada]
[Government of Canada wordmark]
[End]