In Tokyo, Canada's ambassador to Japan has signaled his country's intention to move from observer to full partner in the Global Combat Air Program — a joint Japan-UK-Italy effort to field a next-generation fighter jet by 2035. The bid reflects something larger than a single weapons program: a deliberate deepening of ties between Ottawa and Tokyo across defense, energy, critical minerals, and cybersecurity, formalized earlier this year as a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Nations that once traded at arm's length are now asking harder questions about who they can rely on — and Canada and Ja