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This paper examines the Indigenous people’s factor in Japan’s involvement and engagement with the Canadian Arctic. As the global economy shifts toward Asia, it is of little surprise that Japan, China and South Korea express interest in an increasingly globalized Arctic and have secured observer status in the Arctic Council. Supporting the founding declaration of the Arctic Council, these states have acknowledged the important presence of and declared their support and respect for Indigenous peoples in the region. Nonetheless, such statements remain ambiguous, particularly in light of the diversity of Indigenous peoples within the region and the nuances of their historical and contemporary experiences within diverse national contexts. This paper will examine a few initiatives and policy recommendations for Japan to increase relations with Canada’s northern Aboriginal communities.