The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday edition that Japan's ambassador to Canada has defended Honda Motor's decision to suspend plans for a $15-billion electric vehicle plant in Ontario, attributing it to a slowing EV market. The Globe's Steven Chase writes that ambassador Kanji Yamanouchi emphasized that Japanese companies remain positive about the country. "According what I am hearing from my industries, Canada has enormous potential for consideration of investment by Japanese companies," told The Globe. Mr. Yamanouchi highlighted the Canada's skilled work force, abundant natural resources, including critical minerals, and strong government support for foreign investments. "Also the society is very, very stable, and people are very nice, especially compared with the south of the border," he said. Honda says it is not alone in shelving its EV investments; nearly every major automaker has scaled back their EV plans in the past year due to the rollback of fuel economy standards and the expiration of the federal tax credit. Mr. Yamanouchi emphasized that Japanese auto investment in the U.S. hinges on the successful renewal of the U.S.-Canada-Mexico Agreement. Japanese carmakers "are not doing charity," he added.