Record visitor numbers at the Nordic Pavilion at Expo Osaka
The Nordic Pavilion at Expo in Osaka has been a collaboration between Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Iceland, showcasing Nordic culture, our values and industries.
The World Expo has been a major event for people across Japan, attracting more than 25 million visitors to Expo 2025 Osaka.
Almost 1.7 million people visited the joint Nordic pavilion, which opened on 14 April this year.
'Expo in Osaka has given the large proportion of Japanese people who rarely travel abroad an opportunity to explore the world in one place. Only a small proportion of people in Japan actually own and use a passport, so the Expo in Osaka has given many Japanese people a glimpse of other countries,' says Finn Kristian Aamodt, who heads our Norwegian participation.
Business and global challenges
The World Expo is also an international meeting place for representatives from business, organisations, research communities, the cultural sector and government. Its purpose is to foster closer collaboration on global challenges.
The Nordic Pavilion has hosted themed days focusing on energy solutions, health, literature, gender equality, food, NATO, gaming, design and architecture, and space. Key Norwegian partners in the pavilion collaboration have included Kongsberg, Equinor, the Norwegian Seafood Council, DNV, Statkraft, GE Healthcare and Rystad Energy.
'The Nordic pavilion partnership has been a success, and the themed days have brought together business leaders, investors and political decision-makers. Working together across the Nordic region has given us greater impact and visibility than we could have achieved alone,' says Idar Kreutzer of the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO), Deputy Chair of the board overseeing the Nordic partnership at the World Expo.
The pavilion has provided both a setting and an impetus for Norwegian and Japanese companies to sign agreements in healthcare solutions, energy and monitoring technology. One example in the latter field is Kongsberg Discovery, which signed a contract with Japan's Silicon Sensing. Together, they will develop a highly accurate gyroscope for use in navigation systems.
In addition, both DNV and we signed agreements with FLOWRA, Japan's largest network for offshore wind companies.
Cooperation between Japan and Norway
Japan is one of the world's largest economies and a hub for advanced technology. Norwegian companies have worked with Japanese partners in shipping, seafood, renewable energy and technology for several decades.
In 2022, Norway and Japan signed a cooperation agreement on green industrial development, followed by two further strategic partnerships in 2023. These agreements provide a strong foundation for Norwegian companies to develop value chains in areas such as green shipping, offshore wind, hydrogen, ammonia, and carbon capture and storage.
Won an award
The Nordic pavilion also won the 'Best Exhibit/Display' award from The Experiential Design Authority.
The pavilion will now be dismantled, and the materials reused in new buildings.