Elna Nykänen Andersson, Counsellor for Public Diplomacy at the Finnish Embassy in Tokyo, explains why Finnish design’s shared values with Japan help — but meaningful market entry requires long-term presence, local partnerships, and translation of behaviours and rituals.
Physical presence, repeated engagement, and trusted local partners are essential to build credibility in Japan.
Translation goes beyond language: it includes behaviour, relationships, presentation, timing, and cultural codes.
Using object histories and collaborations (for example museum shows, embassy events, and brand partnerships) helps communicate national values and create relevance.
it act as active cultural tools to express Finnish society, lifestyle, and core values on a global stage. 'It's increasingly important to work with brands that believe in and live by the same values that Finland does. Sustainability, democracy, equality, innovation, open-mindedness, and quality, to name a few.
For us, design and architecture are fantastic tools for illustrating the Finnish mentality, lifestyle, values, and way of doing things.' banner: Despite vastly different geographic origins, both traditions prioritize natural materials, human scale, and an intuitive elevation of everyday life over grandiose statements. Iconic Finnish entities like Artek, Iittala, and Marimekko have carved a lasting presence in Japan by aligning with a local culture that deeply values longevity, tactile experience, and time-honored craftsmanship.
In her current role, design is far more than commercial exports. Iittala exhibition at Finland's embassy in Tokyo above: It's also about behavior, relationships, presentation, timing, and cultural codes.
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Sorry, this entry is only available in Japanese. For the sake of viewer convenience, the content is shown belo […]
Sorry, this entry is only available in Japanese. For the sake of viewer convenience, the content is shown belo […]
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