Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, a pivotal platform for fostering economic collaboration between Poland and Japan

In 2015, bilateral relations between Poland and Japan were upgraded to a so-called strategic partnership, described in the joint statement on ‘Building Framework for Strategic Partnership for Freedom, Growth and Solidarity’. The partnership included cooperation in the fields of security, science and technology, and the economy.

Impact of strategic partnerships on trade growth

The implementation of the Strategic Partnership Agreement, which will be celebrated as part of Poland’s presence at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Kansai, has significantly boosted trade exchange. According to the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, based on data from Statistics Poland (GUS), mutual trade turnover reached a historic high in 2022, amounting to nearly USD 6.5 billion, including Polish exports of almost USD 832 million and imports of USD 5.6 billion.

However, it’s important to note that the potential for cooperation is much greater. The first-ever bilateral Strategic Partnership Agreement between the European Union, its Member States, and Japan, which will also support it, entered into force on 1 January 2025.

Japan is the world’s third-largest economy by GDP, after the United States and China, and a long-standing leader in innovation and patents. Intensifying cooperation with a rapidly developing Poland can bring tangible benefits to both countries. This cooperation has a solid foundation — over 365 Japanese companies are already operating in Poland, including 113 manufacturing firms, mainly in the automotive and e-mobility sectors, as well as in the electromechanical, pharmaceutical, and food industries and business and IT service centres. These companies created around 53,000 jobs.

Thanks to the Strategic Partnership Agreement between Poland and Japan and the Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and Japan, effective 1 February 2019, Polish companies now have more opportunities to expand into the Japanese market. So far, companies from the food sector have been particularly active, thanks to the high quality of their products and competitive prices. Poland, for example, is by far the largest exporter of frozen beef among EU countries, representing more than 70 per cent of export volume to the Japanese market. IT, fintech, and gaming companies are also achieving export success.

Polish Economic Programme at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai

As part of the Economic Programme prepared for the World Expo 2025, Osaka, Kansai, Poland targets six main sectors for cooperation with Japan. These are the medical and pharmaceutical, cosmetics, IT/FinTech, green technology (including hydrogen), agri-food (including AgriTech) and gaming sectors. Therefore, the Poland Pavilion at the Expo included the ‘Plantation of Ideas’ zone, where Polish ideas and breakthrough innovations shaping a sustainable future in key industries for the Japanese market were presented. The Poland Pavilion is an attractive venue for presenting the Polish economy, business and science.

Leveraging its presence at this year’s Expo, Poland is organising national pavilions at industry trade fairs to enable Polish companies to present their offerings to Japanese partners. These are: ENEX 2025 ̶ Energy and Environment Exhibition (29-30.01), H2&FC Expo 2025 during Smart Energy Week in Tokyo (19-21.02), Foodex Japan (11-14.03), Medtec Japan (9-11.04), Japan II Week Spring (23-25.04), Beautyworld Japan (28-30.04) and Tokyo Game Show (26-29.09) in Tokyo, and Japan Health (25-27.06) and Cosme Week Osaka (24-26.09) in Osaka. Organising the stands at the fairs is the responsibility of the Polish Investment and Trade Agency, the Polish Agency for Industry Development, and the National Support Centre for Agriculture.

Representatives of Polish companies will participate in the Polish-Japanese Export Forum, which will be held on 20 May 2025 at the Hilton Hotel in Osaka. A Polish-Japanese Investment Forum is scheduled for 30 September 2025. These events will provide a unique opportunity to showcase and develop the potential of Polish-Japanese cooperation in various economic fields for the benefit of both sides. The unique opportunities presented by these events are sure to excite all stakeholders.