Five Nordic chambers of commerce in Japan – from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden – are proud to announce the official launch of the Nordic Kansai Business Alliance (NKBA). Building on momentum from the successful Nordic Pavilion at EXPO 2025 in Osaka, NKBA will seek to forge closer working relationships between businesses in the Nordic Region and Japan and to encourage sustainable growth.
The Nordic Pavilion is now closing after six months at EXPO 2025 in Osaka. However, the closure also marks the start of a new international collaboration for the Nordic countries, and a tangible outcome of the partnership to promote Nordic business at the EXPO. The Nordic Council of Ministers – which, under the Finnish-Ålandic Presidency in 2025, is a partner in the Nordic Pavilion – has just launched the Nordic Kansai Business Alliance.
“The Nordic Pavilion at EXPO 2025 Osaka has been a fantastic demonstration of the close collaboration between the Nordic countries. I am proud to see new Nordic-Japanese relationships emerge, including in the business sector via the Nordic Kansai Business Alliance. The new initiative means our countries will continue to work together here in Kansai, build a Nordic business community, and help local Japanese companies find new partners in the Nordic countries,” says Anders Adlercreutz, who doubles as Finland’s Minister of Education and Nordic Co-operation.
“The Nordic Council of Ministers’ mission is to ensure that Nordic companies enjoy the best possible framework conditions for forging and building on relationships with international partners on the global stage. The Nordic Pavilion at EXPO 2025, which has now resulted in a whole new chamber of commerce, is proof of what we can achieve together – a joint chamber of commerce that will generate added Nordic-Japanese value here in Kansai,” said Karen Ellemann, Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers.
Networking and EXPO 2025 in Osaka, Kansai
Since EXPO 2025 opened in April, the Nordic Pavilion has hosted more than 200 business events and welcomed over 1.6 million visitors. These impressive figures testify to how well the Nordic Council of Ministers and the Nordic countries work together, each contributing unique strengths on a common platform. The many activities have helped Nordic companies and organisations expand their networks and build close working relationships with Japanese partners in a wide range of industries.
The Nordic Days series of events made a particularly big impression at EXPO 2025. In the energy sector, discussions focused on renewable energy and green technology. The Nordic Council of Ministers also helped focus attention on areas such as the life sciences and health, business start-ups, gender equality, food and the Arctic. New collaborations and projects involving Japanese companies, local authorities, research institutes and others also emerged in many other sectors, including lifestyle, tourism and education.
Links to extend beyond EXPO 2025
The Nordic Kansai Business Alliance (NKBA) is being launched to make sure that the networks and trust built up during EXPO 2025 develop into long-term co-operation with local communities and stakeholders in Kansai. NKBA will act as a platform for co-operation, bolster the Nordic presence in the Kansai region and open doors for Japanese companies interested in the Nordic countries.
The Nordic Kansai Business Alliance is a Nordic co-operation platform
NKBA is a collaborative platform that will enhance the visibility of the Nordic countries in Kansai. The chambers of commerce and regional partnerships will share operational resources to stage events together. The Nordic chambers of commerce will continue to operate independently, but the alliance will promote the shared Nordic values of innovation, sustainability and trust. NKBA will also serve as a platform for Japanese companies interested in the Nordic Region. The chambers of commerce of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden are independent non-profit organisations representing over 400 companies and professionals.
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