Buying a phone to use in Canada

I just have a question about possibly buying a cellphone over in Japan to use here in Canada. I'm living in Canada but I have family living over in Japan right now, and so I was wondering if there are any Japanese cellphone companies/specific cellphones they could get in Japan for me to use here in Canada (Vancouver). I'm hoping there's something I could get, without the price being too outrageous. If anyone knows of specific cellphones that'd work, or what I need to look for for the cellphone to be compatible with a cellphone company here in Canada (say Rogers, for instance) that would be awesome, please let me know! Thanks!

Japan doesn't employ the usual GSM network standard used in just about every country in the world, instead they use proprietary technology unique to Japan. What this means is that Japanese phones don't work anywhere in the world except Japan and vice versa.

Japan doesn't employ the usual GSM network standard used in just about every country in the world, instead they use proprietary technology unique to Japan. What this means is that Japanese phones don't work anywhere in the world except Japan and vice versa.

There are many cellphones available in Japan which has compatibility with both GSM and 3G. (I've got one, and always use it in the US, Europe, and South Africa as well.)

The problem is, you can buy the cellphones only through mobile phone company or its agency... They are "locked" and special knowledge/technique to unlock it so that you can use it with your local services...
There might be shops selling on ly the phones but I have no idea where such shops are found.