12 photos of Prime Minister Harper in Japan

NEWS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA

****************************** Canada and Japan strengthen political, peace and security cooperation

YOKOHAMA, JAPAN - Prime Minister Stephen Harper today signed the 2010 Canada-Japan joint declaration on political, peace and security cooperation with Japan’s Prime Minister Naoto Kan.

The declaration will deepen bilateral relations and better protect the citizens of both countries.

The leaders signed the joint declaration after holding bilateral discussions on the margins of the APEC economic leaders’ meeting in Yokohama, Japan.

“Canada and Japan are close partners in promoting security and development at home and around the globe, including in Afghanistan and Haiti,” Prime Minister Harper said. “The plan Prime Minister Kan and I signed today will improve our joint response to mutual security threats and further ensure the safety of our citizens, at home and abroad.”

The joint declaration builds on the 1999 and 2005 Canada-Japan action agendas for peace and security cooperation as well as other international security initiatives designed to improve both countries’ peacebuilding and conflict resolution capabilities, encourage global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, and strengthen the rule of law internationally.

The joint declaration establishes flexible, high-level dialogue between both countries through regular meetings between Canadian deputy ministers and Japanese vice-ministers of foreign affairs and defence.

The plan also enhances policy and operational cooperation in a number of traditional and emerging areas of shared interest related to peace and security.

****************************** Pictured: Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen have an audience with their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan at the Imperial Palace.

Photo by Jason Ransom, office of the prime minister