March 13, 2025--Written by Daniel Graeber for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Facing trade disruptions from the threat of tariffs from the U.S. government, Alberta said it signed a preliminary deal with a Japanese company to explore its options for energy and other materials. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith led a delegation to the CERAWeek energy conference underway in Houston. On the sidelines, she signed a memorandum of understanding on energy and other goods with Ichiro Takahara, the chairman and chief executive officer at the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security.