Event Archive

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APF Canada, with strong support from the public and private sectors, will lead the Second Canadian Women-only Business Mission to Japan (In-person), from December 5 to 9, 2022. 

This mission will focus on health care and clean technologies to spotlight the innovations Canadian women entrepreneurs bring to these sectors. The sixth mission in APF Canada’s Women’s Business Missions to Asia series, this unique event brings together Canadian women entrepreneurs with businesses in Japan to promote gender-inclusive trade, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and catalyze international partnerships between Canadian companies and a key market in the Indo-Pacific region and the largest economy in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). 

The Second Canadian Women-only Business Mission to Japan is generously supported by contributions from the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. 

Applications are now open and will be accepted on a rolling basis until 11:59 pm EDT on Monday, September 12, 2022 or until delegation spots are filled. Applicants are strongly advised to submit applications as soon as possible.

La Fondation Asie Pacifique du Canada, avec un fort appui des secteurs public et privé, dirigera la Deuxième mission commerciale exclusivement féminine du Canada au Japon du 5 au 9 décembre 2022. 

Cette mission en personne sera axée sur les soins de santé et les technologies propres pour mettre en valeur les innovations qu’apportent les entrepreneures canadiennes dans ces secteurs. Sixième mission de la série de missions commerciales exclusivement féminines en Asie de la FAP Canada, cet événement sans pareil réunira des entrepreneures canadiennes et des entreprises établies au Japon dans le but de favoriser le commerce inclusif pour les femmes, de soutenir les petites et moyennes entreprises (PME) et de catalyser la formation de partenariats internationaux entre les entreprises canadiennes et un marché incontournable dans la région indo-pacifique et la plus grande économie de l’Accord de Partenariat transpacifique global et progressiste (PTPGP).

La Deuxième mission commerciale exclusivement féminine du Canada au Japon est fier bénéficiaire de l'appui du gouvernement du Canada à travers l'Agence fédérale de dévéloppement économique pour le Sud de l'Ontario.

Les candidatures seront acceptées au fur et à mesure jusqu’au lundi 12 septembre 2022 à 23 h 59 (HAE), ou jusqu’à ce que les places au sein de la délégation soient toutes attribuées. Il est fortement conseillé de soumettre votre candidature dès que possible.  

Hokusai Manga (Hokusai’s Sketches) is a nineteenth century collection of 15 volumes of tri-coloured ink block prints by celebrated Japanese woodblock print artist Katsushika Hokusai. Published over a 60+ year period, the subjects range from landscapes to flora and fauna, to scenes from everyday life and the realms of the supernatural. Expert presenter Prof. Atsushi Hosogaya will be analysing sketches via a digital viewing tool and discussing the origins and importance of Hokusai Manga as well as its relationship with contemporary manga.

Presenter: Professor Atsushi Hosogaya from the Department of Manga, Faculty of Fine Arts at Tokyo Polytechnic University has organized many manga exhibitions as a curator at the Kawasaki City Museum. He is on the Board of Directors of the Japan manga Society and his major edited works include A Guide to Understanding Japanese Manga and Asia Manga Summit. He has served on the selection committee for the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Award, the Yomiuri International Manga Award, and the manga division of the Japan Media Arts Festival, and is a noted expert on Japanese and international manga.

This event is hosted by the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE).

On behalf of the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE), APF Canada is pleased to invite all Canadian Kakehashi alumni to a special presentation and workshop tour by Shinpei Kawachi, 16th generation of one of Japan’s most illustrious sword-smith families. With a history stretching back about 1,000 years, Japanese swords are at the same time weapons, sacred items and an art form, and the Kawachi Kunihira workshop is at the forefront of linking the traditional artform with digital technology as part of their mission to preserve this ancient art.

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada is pleased to host Christian Esguerra, host of the political talk show Facts First and winner of the 2020-21 Marshall McLuhan Fellowship award, for a presentation titled, "Democracy at Stake: How Media Battles the Disinformation Phenomenon."

Please Note: Registration is required for this special event.

Christian will discuss the nature of the disinformation phenomenon in the Philippines, how it affects the country’s democratic processes, and how media and stakeholders counter threats to the propagation of lies and truth-telling. In a time when truth and historical facts are being compromised, how can the media help in minimizing the threats and propagation of disinformation?

About Christian Esguerra

Christian Esguerra is a political journalist, multimedia anchor, and journalism educator. He hosts Facts First, a popular online political talk show tackling burning issues on politics and governance, and is a long-time advocate for combating disinformation.  

Christian began his career as a reporter with the Philippine Daily Inquirer in 2000 then joined ABS-CBN as a news correspondent and anchor in 2015. He teaches political reporting and journalism ethics at the University of Santo Tomas where he is also a researcher at the university's Research Center for Culture, Arts, and Humanities.

He was awarded the Marshall McLuhan Fellowship in 2020.

About the Marshall McLuhan Fellowship

The Marshall McLuhan Fellowship is the Embassy of Canada's flagship public diplomacy initiative in the Philippines. The Fellowship was launched in 1997, and is part of the Embassy’s efforts to encourage responsible journalism in the Philippines with the belief that a strong media is essential to a strong democratic society.

The Manila-based Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility assists the Embassy in choosing a Filipino journalist whose work has contributed to positive changes in the social arena or has raised the level of public discourse in a relevant issue, usually concerning governance or human rights.

The program provides the winner with a two-week speaking and familiarization tour of Canada.

The Kakehashi Project is a four-pillar project consisting of "dispatch," "invitation," "online exchange," and "follow-up” programs. As part of the "follow-up” program, we will be holding a face-to-face round-table discussion with alumni to gain the knowledge of experts and clarify project results through the exchange of opinions and ideas.

Presenters: Hisami Andrade, Associate Professor - Global Studies Program, Yokohama National University will discuss international exchange; additional speaker in the field of SNS (TBC)

The Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI) is pleased to announce a new partnership and collaboration with an international advocacy organization, Global Citizen. With a set of common goals, Global Citizen will co-host the upcoming annual Global Town Hall this year, which will be held on Saturday, 5 November 2022. With FPCI's partnership with Global Citizen this year, the upcoming Global Town Hall aims to reach a wider audience worldwide.

Since 2020, FPCI has initiated and been running the international consortium of think-tanks from various countries to convene the Global Town Hall – a North-South, East-West meeting featuring world leaders and leading minds to connect with global citizens. At the Global Town Hall, citizens from all over the world gather to discuss the most pressing issues in a 15-hour marathon of foreign policy sessions. This year, Global Town Hall will be conducted under the theme of “Sustaining Peace and Development in a Divided World.”

Since its inception, the Global Town Hall has gathered over 12,000 people from more than 120 countries. The conference has featured speeches from the president of the European Commission, and foreign ministers of Indonesia, Australia, China, European Union, UAE, France, South Africa, and India, as well as the leaders of various international organizations.

This virtual event is open exclusively to former participants in the Kakehashi Project university and Japan Bowl cohorts. Participants will hear from leading Japanese global business expert Koichi Kawana on multinational management, cross-cultural understanding, leadership, human rights, and the relationship between industry and SDGs. There will be opportunities for Q&A, networking with peers, and brainstorming action plans for youth engagement with globally relevant issues such as SDGs and human rights.    

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) and The Institute for Peace & Diplomacy (IPD) are pleased to co-host the second annual East Asia Strategy Forum (EASF 2022) on November 1-2 in downtown Ottawa.

EASF 2022 is a multi-disciplinary conference that will foster the exchange of knowledge and actionable policy recommendations on geopolitical and geo-economic developments in East Asia, and Canada’s foreign policy and defence approach to the region. It will attract a specialized in-person audience of around 200 participants, including academics, researchers, policymakers, defence and strategy experts, former military officials, current and former diplomats, and business leaders. 

With support from the MINDS program at the Canadian Department of National Defence and the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, this two-day conference will be hosted in a hybrid format, convening in-person and virtual keynote speakers, deep-dive panels, and networking sessions. The program will engage around 45 expert speakers from Canada, the United States, and the Asia Pacific. Experts will engage in constructive discussions on East Asia’s strategic environment, alliances, energy security, maritime security and law, economic regionalism, proliferation, and cybersecurity.

This is a timely event as the Government of Canada shapes, and will likely soon announce, an Indo-Pacific Strategy to inform Canada’s engagement with the region in the coming years.

The following APF Canada-affiliated speakers will be presenting at this forum:

• Jeff Reeves, Vice-President, Research & Strategy, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
• Fiona Cunningham, John H. McArthur Research Fellow, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
• Jonathan Fried, Distinguished Fellow, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
• John Knubley, Board Member, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
• Stéphanie Martel, Distinguished Fellow, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
• Elina Noor, Distinguished Fellow, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada

For centuries in Japan, fermented products such as miso and soy sauce were made and stored in cedar barrels known as "kioke". With the arrival of the modern era, the use of these wooden barrels dwindled as manufacturers switched to cheaper, mass produced options. In recent years, however, a movement to preserve this tradition has gained momentum, and a new generation of soy sauce and miso manufacturers has returned to using kioke.

On behalf of the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE), APF Canada invites all Canadian Kakehashi alumni to a virtual factory tour and presentations by Yamamoto Yasuo, President of Yamaroku Soy Sauce Co., Ltd. and Kono Naoki, Managing Director of Kono Vinegar Miso Manufacturing Factory Co., Ltd. 

On behalf of the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE), APF Canada invites all Canadian Kakehashi alumni to a special presentation on kimono and virtual dye-works tour delivered by Atsushi Tomita, fifth-generation head of Tokyo-based Tomita Sen-Kougei dye works. Capturing the spirit of Old Edo through a contemporary lens, Tomita Sen-Kougei adapts traditional designs and motifs to modern needs and contexts such as the Tokyo Olympics. Join us for a fascinating look at how the centuries-old kimono remains relevant in the 21st century.    

Career and Mindset Workshop for Global Professionals: Building a positive mindset and success toolkit to align career and lifestyle. Presented by the Kakehashi Alumni Committee & Kristy Mariko LLC.

Speaker: Kristy Ishii is a Kakehashi Project alumna from the Japanese American Citizens League (Nikkei) cohort (2014). Following Kakehashi, she worked in Gunma, Japan through the JET program and as a recruiter in Tokyo for two years. She returned to the United States in 2020 and started a coaching company, Kristy Mariko Coaching, later that year. As a Career Transitions and Mindset Coach, she works with people all over the world, helping them find clarity in their career paths, rediscover their passions, and anchor their core values and life purpose. 

While the U.S. and Japan’s earliest generation of female legal scholars showed roughly similar numbers, their paths soon diverged dramatically. The number of women in the two legal academies in the 1950s to about 1960 were not all that different. Both nations counted phenomenally low numbers similarly. The U.S. took an early lead, but not by all that much. One report counted five women in tenure track positions in the U.S. in 1950 and another counted fourteen women before 1960. Japan could count five women by 1956 and eight women by 1958. Neither fifteen women in the U.S. nor eight women in Japan represent even token counts among individuals who made up the two countries’ legal academy professoriate in those times.

The difference then is in what followed. In the U.S., we crossed a count of 100 women around 1970 and then accelerated to 516 women by 1979, while Japan’s count essentially flatlined. From 1958 in Japan, there were no new women entrants for about ten years and then the next uptick in Japan was just five women entering the field in the late 1960s through 1974. After a second near hiatus of about eight years, Japan then saw some modest growth to have a total of twenty-two women who had entered law teaching by 1988. Our next found data point is 402 women in 2004.

The profound scarcity of voices of women academics as leaders, teachers, and scholars in Japanʻs legal academy for several decades remains significantly detrimental for Japanʻs gender circumstances today. The story demonstrates how crucial womenʻs and other feminist voices are in addressing gender gaps and dismantling patriarchy in a society. In particular, having women and feminist allies in the legal academy is essential for feminism to advance in a society. Conversely, deficits regarding women and feminist allies in the legal academy will invariably impact the overall society’s gender circumstances for the worse. And so, just as feminist legal theorists would suggest, it seems essential to assess those circumstances in Japan with the idea that gender gap deficits in Japan’s legal academy must be at least a contributing factor to the nation’s profound and distressing gender gap situation more generally that continue to the present day.

This talk aims to explore not only how, but why the two paths diverged so significantly. With time allowing, some effort will be made to draw upon Canada's circumstances to add another historical sequence into the telling here.

This session is moderated by Scott Harrison, Senior Program Manager, Engaging Asia at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and Research Fellow at SFU's David Lam Centre.

On behalf of the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE), APF Canada invites all Canadian Kakehashi Project alumni to join us for a virtual introduction to Japanese Castles. At once instruments of defence, centres of governance, aristocratic homes, and symbols of authority, there were once up to 5,000 castles throughout Japan. Come learn about the distinctive architecture, history, and evolution of the Japanese castle and enjoy a virtual tour of Tokyo’s famous Edo Castle.

In cooperation with the Kakehashi Alumni Committee, APF Canada is pleased to invite all Canadian, U.S. and Japanese Kakehashi alums to join us for a special tri-cultural celebration of Autumnal Equinox Day, known as Shubun no Hi in Japan. The 60-minute event will include interactive presentations from representatives of each of the 3 countries and opportunities for group discussion. Come learn about “shokuyoku no aki”, “o-higan”, “kōyō”, as well as the signs and symbols of autumn in Canada, Japan and the U.S. 

With borders reopening, the world will intertwine once again. The past few years have challenged many things, including physical mobility, how we relate to each other, the urgent call for equitable and just relations, the ever-evolving concept of sustainability, the introduction or resurfacing of Indigenous wisdom, how cultures are understood or relearned, and how borders of nations and people are being redrawn and redefined.

But what have we learned from the pandemic? And how does that impact the creative sector?

This forum convenes four leaders in the creative sector representing different corners of the Pacific: from Taiwan, the former Chair of the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) and former Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Culture in Taiwan, Ting Hsiao-ching; from Canada, the CEO of Creative BC, Prem Gill; from Australia, International Development Consultant for the Australia Arts Council, Norman Armour; from Canada, Chair of the Board of CAPACOA and director of Vancouver Civic Theatre, Natalie Lue.

These creative leaders will share their perspectives and experiences in non-profit arts and creative industries, particularly on their work in the sector as it relates to lessons learned during COVID and cultivating soft power internationally.

Jeff Nankivell, President and CEO of Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, will moderate this partner event.

The University of Victoria and the Senate of Canada are co-hosting the three-day Victoria Forum 2022 beginning August 28, 2022. The Victoria Forum is structured around a number of plenary panels and parallel think-tank sessions and this year will explore topics including social exclusion in the COVID era, pathways to bridging economic and environmental divides in an age of misinformation, and advancing truth, respect and reconciliation for Indigenous Peoples.

The Forum, launched in 2017, facilitates constructive dialogue, collaboration, and forward thinking by focusing on results and building bridges between different groups.

As an event partner of this year's Victoria Forum, APF Canada's President and CEO Jeff Nankivell is a guest speaker at the De-globalization Roundtable on the third day. The Foundation's Distinguished Fellows Van Jackson and Atsushi Sunami will be speaking about Trust Building in Asia in an Era of Great Power Competition on the third day, at 11:20 a.m. PT.

On behalf of the Kakehashi Alumni Committee, APF Canada is pleased to invite Kakehashi Project alums to an online event featuring guest speaker Asano Wakana (Business Transformation Consultant, IBM; Kakehashi 2016). Ms. Asano will speak about her experiences as Head Japanese Delegate at Y20 Indonesia 2022, Vice-President at Y7 Japan 2023 and Global Dialogue Fellow at Y20 Saudi Arabia 2020, as well as her work with G20 Summits, the United Nations and the Government of Japan. Special guest speaker Jodi-Ann Jue Xuan Wang will also share her perspective as a Y20 2022 Canadian delegate. This English-language event is open to all Kakehashi participants.

Join us for a discussion on the current and future states of Japanese politics in the aftermath of the death of Former Prime Minister Shinzō Abe on July 8, 2022. Webinar topics will include the legacy of Abe, Japan's longest-serving prime minister, the recent elections, and the future of Japanese politics.

Event speakers and presenters include:

• Professor Phillip Y. Lipscy, Chair in Japanese Politics and Global Affairs and Director of the Centre for the Study of Global Japan at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy.
• Tobias Harris, Senior Fellow for Asia at the Center for American Progress, and a leading expert in Japanese politics.
• Deanna Horton, a Senior Fellow at the Munk School, a Distinguished Fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, and a global fellow at the Wilson Center in Washington, DC.

This one-hour English-language event will consist of three "virtual" festivals presented by Kakehashi Alumni. We'll learn not only about summer festivals in Japan, but also about summer holidays and fun festivals in Canada and the U.S. Join us to learn about Japan’s summer traditions and to chat with Kakehashi peers in Canada, Japan and the U.S. Presented by the Kakehashi Alumni Committee with support from the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) and APF Canada.

George Leslie Mackay (1844–1901) began Canada's engagement with Asia when he founded the Canada Presbyterian mission in north Formosa in March 1872. Mackay’s missionary career and contributions to Taiwan have long been celebrated. After 150 years, organizers of this symposium want to widen the focus to explore the history of Canadian engagement with Asia that Mackay started.

This event is organized by the Canadian Mackay Committee with support from the Centre for Asian-Canadian Theology and Ministry at Knox College, the University of Toronto, and the York Centre for Asian Research at York University.

Our Senior Program Manager, Engaging Asia, Scott Harrison, and Junior Research Scholar, Quinton Huang will be speaking at the roundtable on Alberta and British Columbia in the Canada-Japan Relationship on Friday, June 24, 2022.