Expo 2025 – Prospects for Polish-Japanese Cooperation in the Medical and Pharmaceutical Sector
The medical and pharmaceutical industry was one of the six priority sectors of the Polish economy presented at the World Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. In the rapidly evolving world of medical technologies and pharmaceuticals, Poland and Japan increasingly recognize the potential for mutual cooperation.
According to the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, the medical and pharmaceutical sector is among the most promising areas of collaboration with Japan. Poland already boasts a strong scientific base, a growing market of medical startups, and companies successfully exporting e-health, medical robotics, diagnostics, and generic drug solutions. Polish producers of medical equipment, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals are gaining international recognition and competitiveness.
Both countries – Poland and Japan – see real added value in cooperation: Poland offers innovation and cost efficiency, while Japan contributes advanced technology and global expansion experience.
Poland at MEDTEC Japan 2025
From April 9–11, 2025, Tokyo hosted MEDTEC Japan – the largest trade fair for medical technologies in Japan. The Polish national stand, organized by the Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH), featured manufacturers of diagnostic devices, implants, biomedical materials, and IT solutions for healthcare.
As representatives of participating companies emphasized, Japan is a demanding but highly valuable partner. The country’s rigorous quality and technological standards motivate Polish producers to further invest in product development and certification. In return, they offer an attractive quality-to-price ratio and flexibility in cooperation, which have been well received by Japanese partners.
According to data from the International Trade Center, between 2015 and 2023, the share of medical and pharmaceutical products in Poland’s exports to Japan increased from 1.8% to 4.5%. In Poland’s imports from Japan, these products accounted for around 2.5%, according to the report “Medical and Pharmaceutical Industry. Poland. Japan.”
“United for Saving Lives” – Joint Solutions for the Medicine of the Future
Concluding Poland’s Presidency of the EU Council at Expo 2025, the “United for Saving Lives” medical and pharmaceutical conference, held on June 26, 2025, in Osaka, brought together researchers, technology firms, startups, and experts from Poland and Japan. Discussions focused on global healthcare challenges and joint solutions in the field of future medicine. Participants explored ways to improve quality and longevity of life through innovative technologies, breakthrough therapies, and international cooperation.
The conference also showcased Poland’s achievements in innovative therapies, telemedicine, bioengineering, and diagnostic technologies.
Mental Well-being – Discussions in the Poland Pavilion
On June 30, 2025, during the “Day of Kindness” at the Poland Pavilion at Expo 2025, another international conference concluded Poland’s EU Presidency. The focus was on mental well-being – how to build greater emotional and psychological resilience within societies.
As emphasized by Magdalena Skarżyńska, Vice President of the Polish Investment and Trade Agency, responsible for the Poland Pavilion at Expo 2025, in a world full of challenges, mental well-being – particularly that of children and youth – is the foundation of healthy relationships and strong communities.
The conference covered topics such as emotional and financial education for children, overcoming social barriers, inclusion of people with disabilities, and the mental health of medical professionals.
A special guest was Jerzy Owsiak, Chairman of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity – Poland’s largest non-governmental, non-profit organization in healthcare. His message inspired participants to embrace empathy, openness, and creativity in everyday life. The event perfectly reflected the spirit of the “Saving Lives” zone within the Poland Pavilion.
Medical and Pharmaceutical Innovations in the Poland Pavilion
Throughout Expo 2025 in Osaka, the Poland Pavilion has served as a global showcase for the Polish economy. Medicine and pharmacy played a key role among the featured sectors. The interactive exhibition presented solutions in robotic rehabilitation, 3D printing in medicine, artificial intelligence in diagnostics, next-generation pharmaceuticals, and dietary supplements.
Poland’s economic program at Expo 2025 also included industry events, B2B meetings, and initiatives promoting specific products and solutions.
A Shared Response to Global Challenges
An analysis of trade trends between Poland and Japan indicates that the greatest potential for development lies in exports of Polish orthopedic equipment and pharmaceuticals. The relatively high share of these goods in bilateral trade, along with their steady growth, confirms this potential. Polish-Japanese cooperation in the medical and pharmaceutical sectors brings economic benefits to both sides. At the same time, it represents a shared response to global challenges: aging populations, shortages of medical personnel, rising healthcare costs, and the need to digitalize health services.
Poland and Japan are brought closer by a common vision of progress and concern for quality of life — a vision expressed through both artistic installations and business presentations at the Poland Pavilion in Osaka. Thanks to the engagement of government institutions, research centers, and entrepreneurs from both countries, Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, opened new opportunities for knowledge transfer, investment, and joint R&D projects. The medical and pharmaceutical sector — as one of the pillars of the future — has a real chance to become a hallmark of Polish-Japanese partnership.
