Visit of the Honourable Dan Hays, Senator, Speaker of the Senate, and a Parliamentary Delegation, Japan
From May 19 to 24, 2005, the Honourable Dan Hays, Speaker of the Senate, led a parliamentary delegation comprised of the Honourable Sharon Carstairs, the Honourable John Lynch-Staunton, and the Honourable George Furey, senators.
This visit was in reply to an official invitation offered by Mrs. Chikage OOGI, President of the House of Councillors of Japan.
While in Japan, the Canadian delegation held meetings in Tokyo, Nagoya and Okinawa.
During the program, the Speaker of the Senate had the honour of holding an Audience with Their Majesties, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. The delegation had the pleasure of meeting informally with Her Imperial Highness, Princess Takamado, and also held official meetings with:
- Mrs. Chikage Oogi, President of the House of Councillors;
- Mr. Nobutaka Machimura, Minister of Foreign Affairs;
- Ms. Yuriko Koike, Minister of Environment;
- Mr. Yoshinobu Shimamura, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries;
- Mr. Yasuhiro Nakasone, Former Prime Minister;
- Mr. Keiichi Inamine, Governor of Okinawa;
- Members of the Japan-Canada Diet Friendship League;
- Mr. Toshiyasu Shiroma, Mayor of Haebaru Town; and
- Mr. Minoru Mori, President and CEO, Mori Bldg. Co., Roppongi Hills.
The delegation also enjoyed visiting the Expo site in Aichi (including a tour of the Canada Pavilion, the Japan Pavilion, the Toyota Pavilion, and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization Pavilion), Haebaru Town (including a visit to the Summit Memorial Monument, to “Chretien Plaza”, and to Southern Hill - Okinawa’s only ice skating rink), as well as a tour of Shuri Castle.
During their visit, the Canadian delegation sought to encourage ongoing parliamentary dialogue and friendship between Canada and Japan in all fields of contact; to discuss environmental and energy related issues within the context multilateral cooperation, as well as sharing Canadian objectives on this front; and to promote an open forum for the discussion of food safety cooperation on a broad scale, specifically highlighting the range of Canada’s interests in resuming export of North American beef to Japan.