Polish-Japanese Export Forum 2025: an opportunity for new partnerships in key economic sectors
The Polish-Japanese Export Forum, one of the most important economic events accompanying Poland's presence at the World Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, was held on 20 May 2025. The event was attended by more than three hundred representatives of business and opinion leaders, government institutions and media from Poland and Japan.
‘The Export Forum at Expo 2025 is a unique opportunity for Poland to deepen relations with Japan – one of our most important economic partners in Asia. It is a space where Polish companies can directly establish contacts, build trust and present their innovative solutions. Poland and Japan are united by work ethic, commitment and a common vision of sustainable development. We believe that this Forum will contribute to the creation of lasting partnerships based not only on products, but on shared values and long-term cooperation,’ emphasised Michał Jaros, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Development and Technology, in his speech.
Polish-Japanese Export Forum programme
The Forum focused on six strategic sectors in which Poland has the greatest export potential to Japan:
- Medicine and pharmaceuticals
- Agri-food sector (including agri-tech)
- Cosmetics
- Green technologies (hydrogen)
- Gamedev
- IT and fintech
The inaugural session of the Forum was attended by, among others, Michał Jaros, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Development and Technology, Jacek Tomczak, Commissioner General of the Polish Section of the World Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Paweł Milewski, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in Japan and Andrzej Dycha, Chairman of the Board of Polish Investment and Trade Agency. Kazushige Nobutani, Director-General form Kansai Bureau, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Hironari Furukawa, Executive Council, Vice Chair of International Business Committee, Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Aya Wada, Director General for Economic Strategy Bureau Osaka City Government, also made speeches.
‘Poland’s participation in Expo 2025 in Osaka is not only an honour but also a strategic opportunity for us. It is a global platform where we showcase our economic, scientific and cultural potential – from Chopin’s music to innovation in key sectors. The slogan “Heritage that drives the future” reflects our ambition: to show the world a modern Poland based on values, knowledge and partnership. Expo is a space where we build relationships, make real business contacts and strengthen Poland’s presence on the international stage,’ said Jacek Tomczak, Commissioner General of the Polish Section of the World Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai.
The programme of the Forum included numerous panel discussions, as well as presentations on the state of Polish-Japanese economic relations and Japan’s import needs. One of the special guests at the Forum was Janusz Lewandowski, economist and Member of the European Parliament, who in his panel talked about Poland’s export potential.
‘Japan was one of the first countries to recognise the potential of transforming Poland in the early 1990s. Japanese companies such as Toyota played a key role in the development of our automotive industry – a sector that remains one of the pillars of the Polish economy to this day. Today, this cooperation goes far beyond industry – it also includes services, innovation and talent development. Thousands of Poles work in companies with Japanese capital, creating bridges between our countries. This shows the great potential of Polish specialists and the important role they play in balancing our economic relations,” said Andrzej Dycha, President of the Polish Investment and Trade Agency, during his opening speech at the Forum.
Poland at Expo 2025
The Polish-Japanese Export Forum is one of the most important economic events organised as part of Poland’s presence at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka. The Forum is a natural extension of Poland Pavilion’s mission to promote Polish companies’ innovation, technological potential and readiness for international cooperation. Since its official opening on 13 April, the Pavilion has attracted huge interest. Already in the first days of May, the number of visitors exceeded 100 000, confirming the extent of global interest in Poland and its economic offer.
‘Poland’s relations with Japan are based on a strong partnership, shared democratic values and respect for free market principles. A key tool for strengthening these ties is the Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and Japan – the largest bilateral trade agreement in European history. For Poland, it is a real opportunity to expand its exports and presence in Asian markets. At a time of global economic tensions, such a strong and trusting partnership takes on particular importance,” highlighted Janusz Lewandowski, Member of the European Parliament and former EU Commissioner for Budget and Financial Programming, in his speech.
The organiser of the Polish-Japanese Export Forum in Osaka was the Polish Investment and Trade Agency. The programme was prepared in cooperation and partnership with: Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Tokyo; Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan (METI); Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI); Osaka International Business Promotion Centre (IBPC); Itochu Corporation; JETRO Japan; National Agricultural Support Centre (KOWR); National Chamber of Commerce for Electronics and Telecommunications; the City of Osaka; the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development; the Polish-Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry; the Polish Chamber of Commerce of Medical Devices; and the Warsaw School of Economics.
A live webcast of the conference is available on a channel YouTube Poland at Expo.
Fot. A. Stykowski, C. Pęśko / PAIH
