On July 8, 2025, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand and Japan’s Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya formally signed the Agreement on the Security of Information (ISA) in Tokyo. This landmark pact enables the secure sharing of classified security and defense-related intelligence, marking a decisive leap in the bilateral relationship and paving the way for deeper military cooperation. Under the ISA, Canada and Japan establish legal frameworks and procedures for handling, storing, sharing, and disposing of sensitive national-security materials.
While the ISA itself does not trigger specific information flows, it creates the institutional trust and safeguards necessary to support future collaboration across a range of critical areas—particularly in maritime domain awareness, regional threat monitoring, and advanced military technology.
Building on a Strong Trajectory: ACSA and Joint Exercises
The ISA is the latest step in a steadily growing Canada–Japan defense partnership. It builds directly on the 2018 Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA), which enabled the two countries to provide each other with logistical support such as fuel, ammunition, transportation, and maintenance in the context of joint operations or training exercises. Since ACSA came into force, bilateral defense ties have significantly expanded. Defense ministers from both countries have emphasized how the agreement enhances readiness, operational tempo, and interoperability. Canada and Japan have increasingly coordinated on maritime surveillance, including tracking and preventing illicit ship-to-ship transfers (via Operation NEON), and have committed to expanded joint training through bilateral and multilateral frameworks.
Canada and Japan have also deepened their military engagements through exercises. Canadian and Japanese naval forces have participated in joint drills like KAEDEX, while the Royal Canadian Air Force and Japan Air Self-Defense Force have conducted reciprocal visits and training activities. Peacekeeping training, ground force exchanges, and staff-level defense dialogues have further strengthened the foundation for operational collaboration. For example, Canada’s Royal Canadian Navy made a submarine port call in Japan—the first in several decades—while the Royal Canadian Air Force and Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force have conducted multiple joint activities and strategic dialogues. These initiatives reflect a broader trend: two Pacific democracies growing increasingly aligned in their assessments of regional risk and their commitments to upholding international norms.
The Context: Rising Tensions in East and South China Seas and the Taiwan Strait
The strategic importance of the ISA is underscored by worsening tensions in the East China Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait. Both Canada and Japan have expressed deep concern over unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force. These concerns are not theoretical: incursions into Japan’s airspace and exclusive economic zone, military buildups and artificial island construction in the South China Sea, and rising cross-strait tensions all present serious risks to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
In recent years, Canada has demonstrated a greater commitment to Indo-Pacific security by deploying naval vessels to the region and conducting freedom of navigation operations. Japan, for its part, has significantly upgraded its defense posture, investing in missile defense, counter-strike capabilities, and cyber and space forces. Both countries have aligned in international forums like the G7 and NATO in calling for adherence to international law and peaceful resolution of disputes. The evolving security landscape in Asia makes closer Canada–Japan military cooperation not just beneficial, but essential.
The Imperative for Maritime Security Cooperation
Maritime security is arguably the most pressing and promising area for deeper bilateral cooperation. As trans-Pacific nations, both Canada and Japan depend heavily on secure sea lanes for economic prosperity and energy security. The increasingly contested maritime environment in the Indo-Pacific threatens this stability. Both countries support freedom of navigation, oppose the militarization of disputed features, and call for the resolution of maritime disputes in accordance with international law. As such, joint naval patrols, shared maritime domain awareness initiatives, and coordinated responses to illicit maritime activity offer practical avenues for closer alignment.
There is also scope for more regularized collaboration between the Royal Canadian Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Canada’s ability to operate alongside U.S., Australian, and Japanese partners is bolstered by existing frameworks. As Canada increases its naval presence in the Indo-Pacific, the potential for operational cooperation with Japan—ranging from coordinated patrols to search and rescue operations and even joint humanitarian assistance missions—grows significantly.
Potential for Technological Collaboration and AUKUS Pillar II
Canada and Japan also have opportunities to expand cooperation in defense technology, particularly under the emerging framework of AUKUS Pillar II. As this initiative focuses on advanced technologies - such as AI, cyber, quantum, and hyper sonics - there is a natural complementarity between Canada’s innovation capacity and Japan’s defense-industrial strengths. Japan’s participation in programs like the Global Combat Air Programme, and Canada’s interest in advanced maritime surveillance systems, creates a pathway for joint research and development initiatives.
With the ISA in place, sensitive technological cooperation becomes more feasible. Further, collaboration on cybersecurity, satellite surveillance, artificial intelligence, and drone systems would enhance both countries' ability to respond to fast-evolving regional threats, while also advancing strategic deterrence capabilities.
Challenges and Obstacles
Despite shared values and growing strategic alignment, obstacles to deeper defense cooperation remain.
First, legal and regulatory frameworks still need to evolve. While the ISA resolves longstanding barriers to information-sharing, defense export controls and procurement policies may continue to impede collaboration on co-development and technology transfer.
Second, geographic distance and differing force postures pose practical challenges. Canada remains primarily focused on Atlantic and Arctic operations, with only periodic deployments to the Indo-Pacific. Japan, on the other hand, is fully embedded in regional deterrence frameworks. Synchronizing deployment schedules, aligning command-and-control systems, and overcoming language or cultural barriers require sustained investment.
Third, both countries must carefully manage relations with China. While both governments reject coercive behavior and support a rules-based regional order, they must also contend with economic interdependence and diplomatic sensitivities. A closer defense relationship must be calibrated in a way that enhances deterrence without unnecessarily escalating regional tensions.
Finally, historical gaps in military-to-military engagement must be addressed. While the past decade has seen a significant increase in joint activities, Canada and Japan still lack the depth of interoperability that exists between more established defense partners. Continued joint training, staff exchanges, and multilateral engagements are essential to closing this gap.
Why Now: Strategic Rationale
Despite the challenges, the timing for deeper defense cooperation could not be more opportune. The geopolitical environment is shifting rapidly, and both Canada and Japan recognize the need to work together to uphold a stable and secure Indo-Pacific. The ISA provides the legal infrastructure for real-time intelligence-sharing, joint planning, and potentially even integrated operational responses.
Political momentum is also aligned. Leaders in both countries have demonstrated a commitment to building stronger strategic ties, with the ISA serving as a visible signal of this commitment. Looking ahead, further agreements on defense procurement, capability development, and shared technological platforms are likely.
Expanding joint naval exercises, pursuing technological innovation, and strengthening interoperability through education and staff exchanges will ensure that the relationship moves beyond symbolism and into meaningful, sustained cooperation.
Conclusion
The Canada–Japan ISA is more than a legal arrangement—it is a strategic turning point. By enabling secure information-sharing, it lays the groundwork for deeper military collaboration in an increasingly volatile Indo-Pacific region.
From maritime patrols and logistics support to intelligence exchanges and advanced defense technology, the potential for Canada–Japan defense cooperation is significant and growing. The shared interests, aligned values, and complementary capabilities of the two countries position them to play a greater role in maintaining regional peace and stability.
As tensions rise across the East and South China Seas and in the Taiwan Strait, the need for capable, committed partners has never been greater. Through the ISA and beyond, Canada and Japan have the opportunity—and the responsibility—to shape a regional order defined not by coercion, but by cooperation and collective security.