Danielle Smith embarks upon week-long trade trip to Japan, South Korea

Alberta’s premier is on her way across the Pacific for a week of meetings in Japan and South Korea.

Danielle Smith’s office issued a news release saying she will depart Friday, adding the purpose of the trip is to “grow Alberta’s energy, agriculture and other markets in Asia.”

While in Japan, the release says Smith will meet with government officials, importers and energy and agricultural sector leaders.

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It says she’ll promote Alberta as the “partner of choice” to meet Japan’s growing demand for energy and food security.

Later, it says Smith will head to Gangwon State, South Korea, which has a longstanding sister province relationship with Alberta.

The release notes Korean companies have made a number of substantial investments in the province, with several establishing Canadian headquarters in Calgary.

In 2024, it says Japan was Alberta’s third-largest export market, with Alberta’s exports to Japan totalling almost $2.7 billion, and energy exports making up almost $1 billion of that total.

Bilateral trade between Alberta and South Korea totalled about $1.5 billion in 2024, the release said.

It further noted Alberta’s total exports to the region in 2024 totalled $1.2 billion and consisted primarily of energy, nickel, meat and wood pulp.