On 10 October 2025, the Sweden-Japan Sustainability Summit 2025 was held as part of the “Pioneer the Possible” Sweden-Japan sustainability collaboration platform. Organized since 2021 by Business Sweden, the Embassy of Sweden in Japan, and other partners, this year’s event marked the fifth edition of the summit.

ICLEI Japan, which first participated in last year’s fourth summit, was invited to take part again this year.

This year’s summit was positioned as part of the “SDGs + Beyond: Future Society for Life” program, one of the dialogue programs featured in Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai‘s “Theme Weeks”. It took place at the EXPO Salon within the Expo 2025 venue. As the Expo approached its closing period, the site was bustling with visitors, and the EXPO Salon—where the summit was held—saw an unprecedented crowd, with many attendees standing to watch the sessions.

Address by Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden

At the opening of the summit, Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden delivered the keynote address.
Her Royal Highness highlighted the strong partnership between Sweden and Japan in advancing sustainable initiatives and fostering an excellent bilateral relationship. She further emphasized that the six-month-long Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai served as a vital platform for deepening the friendship between the two nations.
Furthermore, Her Royal Highness noted the special significance of holding this Sweden-Japan Sustainability Summit on the eve of the Expo’s conclusion, as it centered on the crucial themes of realizing sustainable societies and driving innovation.

An Outstanding Program

The summit opened with remarks by Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria, followed by discussions among industry leaders, policymakers, and researchers from Japan and Sweden on topics including circular lifestyles, decarbonization in the mobility sector, and reducing the carbon footprint in healthcare.
Additionally, the program featured entertainment including performances by artist Sara Ajnnak from the Sami region of northern Sweden, and a choral performance by Japan’s Hibarigaoka Gakuen Junior and Senior High School Choir, making for a rich and engaging two-hour program.

Discussion: How to Realize a Circular Lifestyle

In the presence of Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria, Mr. Togo Uchida, Executive Director of ICLEI Japan, took the stage for the session titled ‘Discussion: How to Realize a Circular Lifestyle’.

The session featured distinguished speakers, including Ms. Karen Pflug, Chief Sustainability Officer of Ingka Group (the parent company of IKEA) in Sweden; Ms. Marie Trogstam, Head of Department for Sustainability and Infrastructure at the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise; and Ms. Yuki Isaka, Head of the Sustainability Division at Sekisui House.
The session engaged in extensive discussion from the perspectives of both the enterprises driving the circular economy and the regional communities supporting its implementation.
The discussion centered on how enterprises can restructure existing linear business models to meet the demands of a circular future, as well as the policy and regulatory support needed to drive this transformation.

Executive Director Uchida outlined the efforts of Japanese local governments to build a circular society, citing examples such as exchange programs between Nordic and Japanese youth on circular economy themes, supported by local governments.

The session highlighted the important point that addressing climate change requires moving beyond the linear “make-use-dispose” mindset towards a circular economy model centered on recycling and reuse. We have now reached a critical juncture—without adopting circular strategies, businesses will struggle to remain sustainable.