Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her Canadian counterpart, Mark Carney, announced that bilateral ties between their countries had been upgraded to a comprehensive strategic partnership during Carney's visit to Tokyo, alongside plans for an economic security dialogue focused on critical minerals, supply chains and advanced technologies, the CBC reported March 6. The two leaders also agreed to expand defense ties, including on cyber coordination, intelligence exchanges, expanded military exercises and Arctic security and maritime domain awareness.

Carney's Japan visit is his third to a middle power in recent days — following stops in India and Australia — in the context of his government's efforts to diversify partnerships away from the United States. At the same time, Tokyo is expanding cooperation with partners other than Washington to strengthen economic security and both broaden and deepen its network of defense partners.