Credit: Emmanuel Claude
On Friday 18 July 2025, Luxembourg’s Chamber of Commerce presented its review of Luxembourg’s presence at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan.
According to the Chamber, Luxembourg’s pavilion drew “much acclaim” as it hosted three economic missions, welcomed more than 160 participants from 95 Luxembourgish companies and arranged over 80 business-to-business meetings, strengthening cooperation between Luxembourg and Japan and elevating Luxembourg’s international profile during its 25th participation at a World Expo.
The Chamber reported that, in the presence of Luxembourg’s Minister for Digitalisation, Research and Higher Education, Stéphanie Obertin, and Luxembourg’s Commissioner General to the pavilion, André Hansen, President of the Chamber, Fernand Ernster, and Director‑General at the Chamber, Carlo Thelen, provided a review of the various initiatives which had showcased Luxembourg’s businesses and economic sectors. The review marked the conclusion of a series of economic missions organised by the Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with Luxembourg’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, the Luxembourg Embassy in Japan and the Luxembourg Trade and Investment Office (LTIO) in Tokyo.
The Chamber revealed that as part of a diverse economic programme designed to support Luxembourg companies in their international expansion and to build lasting partnerships with Japan, it identified promising sectors for Luxembourgish exporters, connected businesses with key Japanese partners and promoted Luxembourg’s reputation as an innovative, sustainable and open economy.
The Chamber undertook three economic missions during the Expo, under the banners of “Connect”, “Showcase”, “Strengthen”:
- from Saturday 24 to Saturday 31 May, the first mission introduced Luxembourgish companies to Japan’s industrial diversity. Planners held “Luxembourg Day” on Friday 30 May, at the National Pavilion. That event brought closer diplomatic ties with visits from Grand Duke Henri, Luxembourg’s Deputy Prime Minister, Xavier Bettel, and Minister of Defence, Yuriko Backes, highlighting Luxembourg’s commercial offering to Japanese stakeholders;
- from Saturday 12 to Friday 18 July, the second mission focused on space, a priority sector for both Luxembourg and Japan. Delegates toured iSpace, a lunar exploration company also based in Luxembourg and CarbonFly, a startup that produces high-quality carbon nanotubes for batteries, aerospace and mobility applications;
- from Monday 14 to Saturday 19 July, the third mission showcased technology and health. Delegates visited several Japanese firms, including two companies already present in Luxembourg, demonstrating the robust economic links between both countries.
The delegations also visited national, thematic and corporate pavilions which showcased the latest innovations in health, mobility, the circular economy and future technologies. According to the Chamber, these guided visits formed valuable networking opportunities and heightened visibility for the Luxembourg delegation among the international community at the Expo.
The Chamber reported that these missions marked a significant milestone in Luxembourg-Japan bilateral relations and that with over €1.2 billion in service trade exchanged in 2024, with 75% coming from financial services, Japan stands as a strategic market for Luxembourg, especially in ICT, space and health.
Fernand Ernster emphasised that these missions reflected Luxembourg’s ambition to build a strong, sustainable bilateral relationship grounded in complementarity. He noted that Expo Osaka 2025 enabled Luxembourg to affirm its strategic presence in a key region and unlock tangible opportunities for its businesses. The economic programme highlighted priority sectors shared with Japan and many other countries, reinforcing Luxembourg’s international positioning and drive to form high‑value partnerships.
The Chamber of Commerce said that it had “poured its heart and energy” into “leaving a lasting imprint of Luxembourg’s entrepreneurial dynamism in Japan”.
