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TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan and Canada are discussing collaboration on building strong supply chains for battery metals, Japan's industry minister, Yasutoshi Nishimura, said on Tuesday.FILE PHOTO: Japan's Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura attends a joint news conference with Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike in Tokyo© Thomson ReutersA public-private mission led by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and including 16 companies that work with batteries visited Canada last week for talks on building sustainable and resilient supply chains, he said."Canada has an abundance of battery metals and good market access to the United States," Nishimura told a news conference.Related video: Why all eyes are on Zimbabwe's lithium industry (CNBC)the continents resources.Loaded: 9.11%PlayCurrent Time 0:29/Duration 16:28Quality SettingsSubtitlesFullscreenCNBCWhy all eyes are on Zimbabwe's lithium industryUnmute0View on WatchMore videosCNBCWe need lithium from Australia for our electric vehicle batteries: Indonesian business organization2:12cbc.caNew U.S. low-carbon energy subsidies put pressure on Canada to provide more funding too1:22BloombergCanada's Ties With China 'Multifaceted': International Trade Minister6:59"Canada is one of the most important countries for Japan when it comes to strengthening our supply chains of storage battery metals," he said.He declined to give details of the talks but said he would take various opportunities, including an upcoming G7 ministerial meeting, to reinforce cooperation with Canada.As the chair of the Group of Seven nations (G7) this year, Japan will hold a ministerial meeting on climate, energy and environment in the city of Sapporo on April 15-16, ahead of a G7 summit in Hiroshima on May 19-21, to promote what it calls a realistic energy transition.Batteries are key for Japan as it strives for carbon neutrality by 2050 as they are the most important technology in the electrification of automobiles and other devices and essential for boosting the adoption of renewable energy.(Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Robert Birsel)