Osaka, Japan. July 2, 2025 – In Expo Osaka 2025, SPI (Sociedade Portuguesa de Inovação), represented by Sara Medina, played a central role in advancing digital cooperation between Europe and the Indo-Pacific by co-organising a high-level workshop as part of the EU-Japan Digital Partnership, the Workshop: Advancing Collaboration in the Digital Sector with support from Alessandro Bassi (EURESCOM), Held at Portugal’s Pavilion, the event brought together key stakeholders from Japan and Europe to explore strategic collaboration in the digital domain.
Organised under the framework of the INPACE Project, to promote and sustain the EU-Japan Digital partnership, the workshop focused on forward-looking themes such as Next-Generation Connectivity (5G/6G), Cybersecurity & Digital Trust, and Cloud-Edge-IoT for Smart Industries. These discussions supported both the objectives of the European Union’s International Digital Partnerships strategy—particularly with Japan—and SPI’s broader mission to strengthen cross-regional innovation ecosystems.
The workshop was formally opened by Lee Wolgar of the Delegation of the European Union to Japan and Joana Gomes Cardoso (Commissioner General of Portugal at Expo Osaka Kansai). Lee Woolgar stressed the importance of the EU’s digital partnerships, particularly in areas such as semiconductors, the exchange of information between the EU and Japan, and the importance of technology and innovation for the future. In her remarks, Joana Gomes Cardoso underlined Expo 2025 as a platform to promote dialogue and the sharing of best practices between European countries, highlighting Portugal and Japan’s shared maritime history and commitment to ocean sustainability.
This was followed by an introduction to the INPACE initiative by Sara Medina (SPI), and a panel discussion moderated by Alessandro Bassi (EURESCOM). The panel featured notable digital policy experts, academics, and industry leaders, including Masahiro Bessho (Toyo University), Hideaki Takahashi (Nokia), Rob van Kranenburg (IoT Council), and Judit Erika Magyar, country representative for EURAXESS Japan, who also shared insights into Horizon Europe funding opportunities.
The event concluded with a networking cocktail at Portugal’s Pavilion and a short visit to the European Commission’s Pavilion, celebrating Portugal’s maritime heritage and leadership in sustainability, while reinforcing the bilateral spirit of innovation and trust.
This event contributed to the objectives of the EU-Japan Digital Partnership in fostering digital cooperation between Japan and the European Union, supporting innovation, digital transformation, and advancement of digital technologies.
With its active involvement, SPI continues to position itself at the forefront of Europe’s digital engagement with Indo-Pacific countries, helping to pave the way for impactful, human-centric, and trusted technological cooperation.
