Foreign Affairs Minister M茅lanie Joly says Canada is set to become a major energy supplier for Japan and South Korea.

On a visit to both countries this week, Joly said she found a growing appetite for liquefied natural gas from Canada beyond a looming megaproject.

A major export terminal is set to open in 2025 in Kitimat, B.C., with Japanese and Korean companies holding a 20 per cent stake.

B次元官网网址淲e will become a major supplier of key energy for them, starting in 2025,B次元官网网址� Joly said in a Thursday interview from Seoul.

B次元官网网址淭here is a lot of interest for all of us to go even further.B次元官网网址�

Joly said these types of projects will help Canada shore up energy security in the region, where China and Russia have been growing increasingly assertive.

B次元官网网址淛apan and Korea were already very close to Canada, but it is now in CanadaB次元官网网址檚 interest more than ever, that they be best of friends,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淲e know that thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of instability in the world, and when thatB次元官网网址檚 the case, Canada reaches out to the world to create more stability.B次元官网网址�

Joly said a series of missiles that North Korea launched over Japan this month loomed large in her talks with local officials and the Canadian navy.

She visited HMCS Vancouver, which is undertaking exercises to monitor sanctions on North Korea B次元官网网址渋n view of their reckless actions,B次元官网网址� Joly said. That often means monitoring ships that stop near each other, to see whether goods or fuel are being transferred.

In September, the Vancouver sailed through the Taiwan Strait alongside a U.S. warship to demonstrate CanadaB次元官网网址檚 position that the area near mainland China counts as international waters.

JolyB次元官网网址檚 visit also touched on existing work to make more Canadian critical minerals available for Asian firms building electric vehicles and parts.

In Tokyo, she co-launched formal talks aimed at having Canada and Japan share military intelligence.

JolyB次元官网网址檚 weeklong visit wraps up Saturday. She said the intent is to build on close ties with allies ahead of an Indo-Pacific strategy that should outline OttawaB次元官网网址檚 approach to dealing with China.

B次元官网网址淭he goal right now is to lay the foundation for the strategy,B次元官网网址� she said.

Joly has previously said that a major summit the Chinese Communist Party is holding next week will help inform CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Indo-Pacific strategy, which she has promised to release by the end of this year.

Opposition parties have argued the strategy is long overdue, and business groups say they need Ottawa to clarify the regions and industries where it wants closer ties, and which countries Canada deems to be riskier.

B次元官网网址擠ylan Robertson, The Canadian Press