Serbia and Japan – Partners for the Future, Economic Cooperation Deepens

At the Investment Conference – Expo Osaka 2025, held as part of the World Expo Osaka 2025, Serbia presented its investment potential. It extended an invitation to Japanese investors to continue investing in the country, initiate new projects, and establish partnerships with Serbian companies.

Mihailo Vesović, Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS), emphasized that Japanese companies have significantly contributed to the development of business culture in Serbia over the past decade and highlighted that the goal of the conference was to identify suitable partners and create the conditions for further cooperation.

“Japan's economy is export-oriented, which makes it compatible with Serbia's. We believe this is the right moment to strengthen our partnership and launch new business ventures,” said Vesović at the event in Osaka, which gathered around 170 businesspeople and institutional representatives from both countries.

He identified key sectors with strong potential for joint business endeavors, such as the digital industry and artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, smart cities, green energy, and energy efficiency.

Vesović also noted that Serbia’s capabilities in the automotive and rubber industry, agriculture, IT services, and logistics position it as a reliable partner for companies seeking a long-term presence in the European and broader markets.

Siniša Mali, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Serbia, invited Japanese investors to come to Serbia — a country he described as a bridge between East and West and one of the fastest-growing economies in Europe. He presented the upcoming EXPO 2027 in Belgrade and the country’s investment plans totaling €18 billion by 2027.

“You will feel at home in Serbia. We offer a stable and secure environment, strong infrastructure, a skilled workforce, and favorable trade agreements granting access to a market of 2.8 billion people,” said Mali. He underlined that Serbia is the only EU candidate country with an investment-grade credit rating and is a regional leader in attracting foreign direct investment.

Serbia's Ambassador to Japan, Aleksandra Kovač, stressed Serbia’s determination to strengthen quality partnerships and develop sustainable ties with Japan in various fields. “This commitment is mutual, as we heard directly from Japanese companies. Today we are stepping closer to what Japan calls ‘co-creation for the future,’” she stated.

Speakers at the conference also included Jagoda Lazarević, General Commissioner of EXPO 2025 Osaka and Serbia’s Minister of Domestic and Foreign Trade, Negoro Takayoshi, Director of International Cooperation at the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mia Kawada, Executive Vice President of JETRO, Goran Pekez, Chairman of the Japan-Serbia Business Association, Masaki Tominaga, representative of the Embassy of Serbia in Japan.

The conference, held at Fukuracia Osaka Bay Hotel, was part of Serbia’s broader participation in Expo Osaka, running from April 13 to October 13, 2025. Attendees had the opportunity to learn about Serbia’s potential in AI, bioeconomy, pharmaceuticals, and the IT sector, as well as hear firsthand experiences from Japanese companies already operating successfully in Serbia.

The event was the result of intensified economic cooperation and exchanges between Serbian and Japanese business delegations over the past year. It was jointly organized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, Osaka Chamber of Commerce, JETRO, Development Agency of Serbia, Embassy of Serbia in Japan, and the Japan Business Alliance in Serbia (JBAS).

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between JBAS and the Serbia-Japan Business Club to promote investment and economic cooperation.
Masami Miyamori, a representative of Toyo Tires, announced the company’s plan to open a Research & Development (R&D) Center in Serbia by 2027.

“We plan to relocate our EU R&D center from Germany to Serbia. Preparations will begin soon, and the center should officially begin operations in 2027,” Miyamori told Tanjug.