Cowboys and samurais

The Japanese government has taken an interest in our country's "oil sands regulatory framework." According to the federal government's lobbyist registry, Japan's Canadian embassy recently hired Prospectus Associates in Corporate Development Inc. to lobby the federal government about that framework. The embassy didn't return a call placed last week requesting comment. But rising sun businesses have been increasing their involvement in the oil sands. On May 8, Bloomberg News reported, "Japanese Petroleum Exploration Co., the country's second-biggest oil explorer, said it plans to expand its Hangingstone oil-sands project in northeastern Alberta." And, on November 27, 2007, "Inpex Holdings Inc., Japan's largest oil producer, said it bought a 10 percent stake in the Joslyn oil sands project in Alberta, Canada, from Total SA." Prospectus has two lobbyists working on the Japanese embassy's file - Bruce Hartley and Robert Evershed - who registered on November 28, 2007 and May 15, 2008 respectively.