The relatively small 33 million population of Canada, the world's second-largest country in terms of land mass, makes it nearly impossible for its musicians to maintain careers based on domestic support alone.
While international touring for leftfield artists was once considered an anomaly, the global success of Canucks such as Broken Social Scene and Arcade Fire has opened the floodgates for a seemingly endless supply of top-notch underground talent hailing from the great white north.
Looking to take advantage of the spike in interest in its nation's musical output, the Canadian Independent Record Production Association (CIRPA) is hosting its second annual Asian Trade Mission in Tokyo from Nov. 10 to 14, featuring live shows as well as some serious schmoozing.