A visit last week by the Consul General of Japan at Montreal was highlighted by discussions on trade and tourism, says Premier Robert Ghiz.
“Prince Edward Island is aggressively pursuing new opportunities to strengthen trade and tourism in international markets,” said Premier Ghiz. “The Japanese market offers great potential to increase exports of food products and is an important contributor to our tourist industry.”
On Thursday of last week, Consul General Tatsuo Arai, accompanied by Vice Consul Hiroshi Ysui, met with Premier Ghiz, Tourism and Culture Minister Robert Henderson and representatives of business organizations. They also met with officials at the University of Prince Edward Island and made courtesy calls to Government House and Charlottetown City Hall.
Premier Ghiz said the discussions dealt with opportunities to increase exports of seafood and agricultural products such as soybeans. He said that Prince Edward Island currently exports upwards of $20 million of seafood products such as lobster, tuna, mussels, herring roe and snow crab. Over the past several years, Prince Edward Island has also expanded exports of food grade soybeans to Japan.
Prince Edward Island has attracted more than 12,000 Japanese visitors annually, and the province is well known in that country.
During the past month as well, the Canadian Trade Commissioner for Japan, who is responsible for meat and seafood exports, visited the province. There have been a number of incoming trade missions from Japan, and the provincial government has been promoting trade and tourism during trade missions there.
“Strengthening our competitive position in a global marketplace is a major priority of the provincial government,” said Premier Ghiz. “We are pursuing every opportunity to position this province as a source of high quality products.”