Polish-Japanese Investment Forum 2025 in Osaka: An Opportunity to Attract New Investors to Poland

– Poland today is a stable and well-established economy, with a strategic location and a highly qualified workforce. Although our countries are separated by a great distance, we have much in common. Both Poland and Japan have built their economic growth on the hard work and entrepreneurship of our citizens. Neither of our countries is particularly rich in natural resources, but we have something more important – perseverance in hard work and the ability to think innovatively. Expo 2025 in Osaka will soon come to an end. However, we can proudly say that Poland’s participation in this event has been a great success, said Jacek Tomczak, Commissioner General of the Polish Section at World Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai.

Polish representatives also emphasized the unique role that Poland plays in Europe.

– Exactly 34 years ago, at the invitation of Keidanren, I came to Tokyo. It was the most difficult period of Poland’s transformation. In Japan, I was received with great warmth, and my visit was treated with high importance. That was practically the beginning of building the ‘second Japan in Poland,’ which Lech Wałęsa described as his greatest dream at the very start of our transformation. Today, our GDP is higher than that of Switzerland. We are a fast and dynamically developing country, a member of both the European Union and NATO. In my view, this success was driven by two main factors: foreign direct investment and development funds from the European Union, as well as the spirit of Polish entrepreneurship. Today, we must take our economy to the next level. And we must do this in difficult times, when Russia is trying to undermine the international order and Ukraine’s territorial integrity. That is why today we must discuss our cooperation in the field of dual-use technologies. This is exactly how we need to think in times of growing uncertainty, said Jan Krzysztof Bielecki, former Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland.

Program of the Polish-Japanese Investment Forum

The Polish-Japanese Investment Forum is a prestigious platform for cooperation, the aim of which is the promotion of Polish investment projects among Japanese entrepreneurs, the establishment of business and institutional contacts, and the strengthening of cooperation between Poland and Japan. It is a unique opportunity to present the potential of the Polish market – ideas worth investing time, resources, and energy in. The main thematic areas of the Polish-Japanese Investment Forum included: initiatives related to the development of transport, logistics, and energy, solutions in the field of renewable energy, energy efficiency, circular economy, and environmental innovations, investments in Poland as a key element in the future reconstruction and modernization of Ukraine, as well as supporting the development of services in the Central and Eastern Europe region.

During the event, special networking and exhibition spaces were provided:

• Investment Support Zone – presentation of the investment offer of Special Economic Zones (SSE) from across Poland, the Central Communication Port (CPK), and the Port of Gdańsk
•  Green Technology Zone – innovative solutions for sustainable development

Also presented:

• Polish Product of the Future: a presentation of Polbionica SA, which is the recipient of the special PAIH award granted in the 26th Edition of the Polish Product of the Future Competition, organized by the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development;
• GraviTE Project (Gravity-free Tissue Engineering) created within AGH Space Systems

The inaugural session of the Forum was attended by:

• Jacek Tomczak, General Commissioner of the Polish Section of the World Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai,
• Michał Jaros, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Development and Technology,
• Jan Krzysztof Bielecki, former Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland,
• Konrad Gołota, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of State Assets,
• Rafał Rosiński, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Digitalization,
• Andrzej Dycha, President of the Polish Investment and Trade Agency.

Representatives of Japanese business organizations also gave speeches:

• Kazushige Nobutani, Director General of the Kansai Office at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI),
• Shingo Torii, President, Osaka Chamber of Commerce,
• Susumu Kataoka, President, JETRO Japan.

During the opening speeches, the Polish representatives emphasized the immense significance of Japanese investments for shaping Poland’s post-transformation economy, including the long-standing presence in Poland of the strategic partner of the Polish-Japanese Investment Forum – Toyota.

-Poland and Japan share long-standing, very positive experiences of cooperation. Japanese companies were among the first foreign investors in our country after the economic transformations. Their presence not only contributed to the modernization of our economy but also created stable jobs, raised quality standards, and accelerated Poland’s integration into global value chains. Everything associated with Japan evokes the highest quality, reliability, and precision – the philosophy of just-in-time, as well as the idea of kaizen – continuous improvement and the search for better solutions step by step. These are values that also inspire our industry and institutions, and Polish companies are increasingly striving to implement them in everyday practice. In Lower Silesia, the presence of Japanese companies is part of daily life: it provides jobs for thousands of people and drives the development of entire communities. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Toyota’s plants in Wałbrzych, and yesterday I visited the factory in Motomachi. Both visits showed me how closely our industrial experiences align, how naturally Polish energy complements Japanese precision, and how much we can learn from each other – in terms of technology, work organization, and business culture, emphasized Michał Jaros, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Development and Technology.

The Japanese side also highlighted the enormous potential they see in continuing cooperation with Poland.

-Modern Poland is renowned for its ICT sector, semiconductors, scientific technologies, automotive industry, and manufacturing. You are achieving remarkable, almost rapid growth. In the coming years, generative artificial intelligence will enter additional areas of industry. Currently, China and the United States are leading in this field, but we should not yield to them. In the future, Poland and Japan must cooperate to achieve progress together, commented Kazushige Nobutani, Director General of the Kansai Office at the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI).

-JETRO supports both the overseas expansion of Japanese companies and the entry of foreign firms into the Japanese market. We have 76 offices in 56 countries worldwide, including 16 offices in 14 European countries. One of these is our office in Warsaw, established in 1975, which this year celebrates its 50th anniversary. The JETRO branch in Warsaw has for many years served as a bridge connecting Japanese and Polish enterprises, and today it is among the most active JETRO offices in Europe, said Susumu Kataoka, President of JETRO Japan.

The Forum program included numerous discussion panels, as well as presentations on the strategic partnership between Poland and Japan, also in the context of supporting the development and reconstruction of Ukraine.

The panel discussions at the Poland-Japan Investment Forum focused on economic and investment cooperation between Poland and Japan. The first panel was devoted to joint initiatives in space exploration – from the role of the European Space Agency (ESA), through bilateral projects, to the development of the Polish space sector and its potential in robotics and artificial intelligence. The next session emphasized the importance of human capital as a competitive advantage for Poland, highlighting the high quality of specialists in advanced technology sectors, especially in IT and business services, as well as the country’s regulatory stability and increasing economic openness. The final panel highlighted Poland’s role as a gateway to Europe for Asian investors, with a particular focus on the commercial real estate market and favorable tax and regulatory conditions.

The special guest of the panel Polish-Japanese Cooperation in Space Exploration: Innovations, Technologies, and New Horizons was Dr. Sławosz Uznański, who, as one of the speakers, presented to the audience both the opportunities and the limitations associated with implementing projects based on international agreements.

-Training in Japan was an incredible experience for me. I spent a week in Tsukuba. That was the first time I had the opportunity to engage directly with Japanese culture. I had previously worked with Japanese colleagues as an engineer and scientist at CERN, but those experiences were different. During my stay in Japan, I got to experience the Japanese work culture for the first time. I am extremely grateful to our Japanese partners for how they welcomed us, for the knowledge they shared, and for answering many of the questions we had. The opportunity to meet the people from the Tsukuba Control Center before the mission positively impacted our ability to communicate as efficiently as possible during the task. Relationships are extremely important, said Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, engineer, scientist, and astronaut, European Space Agency (ESA).

The Investment Forum was also attended by numerous representatives from the worlds of politics, diplomacy, and science, who shared their views on the next steps in Poland’s development plan during panels, thematic sessions, and discussions with other guests.

• Monika Wielichowska, Deputy Marshal of the Sejm
• Krzysztof Hetman, Member of the European Parliament
• Magdalena Skarżyńska, Vice President of PAIH
• Paweł Pudłowski, Vice President of PAIH
• Łukasz Gwiazdowski, Vice President of PAIH
• Mirosław Czekaj, President of Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK)
• Bartłomiej Babuśka, President of the Industrial Development Agency (ARP)
• Filip Czernicki, President of the Central Communication Port (CPK)
• Bartosz Bloch, Commercial Director of the Port of Gdańsk
• Jolanta Gzik-Zięba, Member of Parliament
• Katarzyna Stachowicz, Member of Parliament
• Konrad Frątczak, Member of Parliament
  Michał Krawczyk, Member of Parliament
• Dr. Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski

During the Investment Forum, ASTOR and Kawasaki Heavy Industries signed a global agreement on the further development and commercialization of the educational robot Astorino. In his speech at the Polish-Japanese Investment Forum, Kenji Bando, Executive Director of KHI Japan, also highlighted the important role both companies play in creating opportunities for nurturing innovation in future generations. The agreement enables the companies to undertake new activities in international markets.

– Europe and Japan face a common social challenge: declining birth rates and aging populations. In this context, one of our most urgent tasks is to educate a new generation of robotics engineers. – Kenji Bando, Executive Director of KHI Japan

The achievements of Polbionica S.A. from Zielona Góra attracted great interest from representatives of Japanese companies. The company is the recipient of a special award in the 26th edition of the Polish Product of the Future competition, organized by the Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH) since 1997. Polbionica S.A. was recognized for its Bionic Pancreas (cATMP) – the world’s first fully vascularized, 3D bioprintable organ, ensuring proper nutrient flow and oxygenation of cells.

The Polish-Japanese Investment Forum is one of the most important events organized as part of Poland’s presence at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka. The Forum is a natural extension of the mission of the Polish Pavilion, which showcases Poland’s potential as a country with unlimited opportunities for foreign investment. Since its grand opening on April 13, the Pavilion has attracted enormous interest. The number of visitors has already exceeded one million, demonstrating the significant global interest in Poland and its economic offerings.

– The motto of the Polish Pavilion is “Heritage that Drives the Future.” I understand this as the idea of drawing inspiration from the rich achievements of past generations and using it as a driving force toward the future. The Pavilion has received tremendous acclaim. I hear that visitors are captivated both by its elegant exhibition and by the piano concerts featuring Chopin’s music. Interest in Poland, however, is not limited to culture and tourism; it also extends to the business sphere. Poland has enormous potential in many sectors, including manufacturing-particularly the automotive industry-as well as in the ICT sector. Many Japanese companies have already invested in Poland, which demonstrates the great opportunities for developing cooperation with Japan. We hope that today’s Forum will serve as an opportunity to rediscover Poland’s attractiveness and to initiate new joint business ventures involving Japanese companies – said Shingo Torii, President, Osaka Chamber of Commerce. w Polsce, co pokazuje, jak wielkie możliwości rozwoju współpracy z Japonią stoją przed nami. Liczymy, że dzisiejsze Forum stanie się okazją do ponownego odkrycia atrakcyjności Polski oraz do zainicjowania nowych wspólnych przedsięwzięć biznesowych z udziałem firm japońskich – powiedział Shingo Torii, Prezes, Osaka Chamber of Commerce

Organizers and Partners

The Polish-Japanese Investment Forum in Osaka was organized by the Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH). The program and its communication were prepared in cooperation and partnership with the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Tokyo, the Ministry of Development and Technology, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan (METI), Nippon Keidanren Associations, JETRO Japan, the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation, the Japan Institute for Overseas Investment (JOI), Export Investment Insurance (NEXI), the Polish Development Fund (PFR), the Export Credit Insurance Corporation (KUKE), the Industrial Development Agency (ARP), the Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK), the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), OCCIJ, Hitachi, and Toyota.

The full program of the Forum is available here.

The photo report is available on the website www.expo.gov.pl at this link.

The conference broadcast archive is available:

english version 

japanese version 

Fot: A. Stykowski