Anti-Japanese Museum in Canada Draws Criticism from Lawmakers

On May 27, 2025, Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Masahisa Sato raised concerns in the House of Councillors Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee over a museum in Canada run by a Chinese-Canadian organization. It was not the first time he had done so. The museum, he said, conspicuously promotes anti-Japanese narratives through exhibits shown to large numbers of local high school students. He first raised the issue at an April 17 committee session.

According to those familiar with the matter, the museum in question opened in June 2024 in Toronto, Ontario. Called the Asia Pacific Peace Museum, it was reportedly spearheaded by a local Chinese-Canadian organization called Alpha Education. Its exhibits include references prominently reflecting China's viewpoint on the Nanjing Incident and comfort women.

Sato urged Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya to formally protest to Canada's Foreign Minister, Anita Anand. Iwaya, however, waffled that Japan would respond at "the most appropriate level and timing." Such a weak response could erode Japan's credibility and national dignity, Sato warned.

"We speak up to South Korea, but we go silent when it comes to [propaganda from] China," Sato pointed out. "That double standard undermines our standing."

Iwaya responded that Japan had conveyed its position and would act "at the most appropriate level and timing," adding, "I ask that you trust our judgment." Sato pushed back: "If the foreign minister can't speak up to defend Japan's reputation, who will?"

Behind the Activism

These concerns about anti-Japanese narratives abroad emerged amid growing scrutiny over the Justin Trudeau administration's historically cozy ties with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canada was often criticized for its tepid response to Beijing's assertive influence campaigns. This criticism stemmed not only from diplomatic caution but also from a complex web of political and economic relationships that had been cultivated over decades.

One telling example involved a C$50,000 ($36,000 USD) donation made by Zhang Bin, a billionaire Chinese businessman and senior CCP official. Zhang's donation to the University of Montreal was specifically to fund a statue of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, Justin Trudeau's father. Pierre Trudeau was among the first Western leaders to establish formal relations with Communist China, a move Beijing continues to celebrate.

In 2016, Justin Trudeau also visited the homes of Chinese-Canadians who publicly supported Beijing's claims over disputed islands in the South China Sea.

Time for the Government to Act

A month earlier, at an April session of the House of Councillors Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Sato had reproached Iwaya for what he perceived as a lack of urgency.

*LDP Upper House member Masahisa Sato questions officials at the House of Councillors Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense, at the National Diet. April 17.*

"If historical issues aren't addressed seriously, it will be extremely difficult to change perceptions," said Sato. "The Japanese population in Canada is overwhelmingly smaller than the Chinese population. If we don't take history issues seriously, Japanese people will lose their standing."

Sato also pointed out that Iwaya had met former Foreign Minister Joly several times since taking office in October 2024. He stated, "It's a serious problem that despite meeting her multiple times, you haven't spoken out. It damages our national interest."

Iwaya acknowledged that the museum received funding from a local government agency in Ontario. In closing, he still argued that the museum is "a private institution operated by a Chinese-Canadian organization, not a public museum." However, he also declared, "We will continue to clearly communicate Japan's position to Canada based on the facts."

Corporate Ties and Diplomatic Paralysis

China's economic influence in Canada has long been facilitated by institutions like Power Corporation, the Desmarais family-owned conglomerate with extensive investments in China.

This longstanding relationship has, according to scholars like Clive Hamilton, created a reluctance within Canada's political class to confront the CCP. The effect was evident during the 2018 arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, when Trudeau's government appeared politically paralyzed.

The situation was compounded by then-Canadian Ambassador to China John McCallum, who effectively became Beijing's voice in Ottawa. McCallum publicly suggested that Meng had strong legal grounds to fight extradition and later encouraged China to "make a trade deal" that would benefit Canada. His repeated deviations from Canada's official stance ultimately led to his dismissal — but not before significantly undermining Ottawa's credibility.

With China's influence deeply embedded in Canadian institutions and politics, Japan's silence only amplifies Beijing's narrative.

(Read the related article in Japanese.)

Author: Shimpei Okuhara, The Sankei Shimbun