Address by President of the Republic of Finland Tarja Halonen at the Business Conference "Towards the E-Society, Challenges for Finland and Japan" in Tokyo on October 21, 2004

This year we celebrate the 85th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Finland. Japan was one of the first countries outside Europe with which the newly independent Finland established official ties. However, much earlier in the history there had already been several contacts and encounters between Finns and Japanese.

The trade and industrial relationship between our two countries started to develop seriously in the 1960s. For example Japanese automobile makers brought their cars to the Finnish Lapland to test new car models in the cold and harsh conditions of the Finnish winter. Finland, which has always been an open market for Japanese cars, was also used as a test market before entering the larger markets in other parts of Europe.

The theme of this technology and business seminar is "Towards the E-Society, Challenges for Finland and Japan". Our countries are both global leaders in the development of information societies and are currently implementing their respective long-term strategies in this field: the Japanese e-Japan program and the Finnish government’s Information Society Program.

Japan’s strengths are, for example, widespread and increasing broadband connections, sophisticated mobile content and services, robotics and nanotechnology.

Finland’s strengths, on the other hand, are in web-based financial services, especially electronic transactions and learning, as well as in healthcare and well-being services. Both countries also have special know-how in life sciences and intelligent homes.

Based on these complementary strengths, we have an excellent opportunity to strengthen the co-operation between Japan and Finland. Governments can do their part in this, but companies bear the main responsibility. Therefore it is really gratifying to see here so many representatives from Japanese and Finnish companies.

A recent field of co-operation, well on the way, is the Finnish Well-Being Centre in Sendai. This elderly-care centre is a joint project of Japanese and Finnish companies, researchers, universities and authorities.

The Sendai Centre has received world-wide interest. With this Centre Finland and Japan have started a new era in the field of creative social innovations. Let us develop this concept and other ideas together into real global success stories.

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Information societies provide their citizens with substantial opportunities. Information networks give people new ways to work and participate, and have globally increased freedom of speech and transparency. Information networks can also offer operational and participatory opportunities regardless of time or space - to rural populations and to people with physical or sensory disabilities, for example.

Ultimately technology is only a tool, also in the development of the information society. Becoming a true information society requires several stages of readiness. All citizens and communities must have adequate skills and access to use information networks. Furthermore, networks must also offer quality content as well as useful and easy-to-use services.

Computer skills and access to networks are indeed two of the fundamental challenges facing an egalitarian information society. At its best, technology decreases differences between people. At its worst, the income gap will grow wider and the digital divide deeper.

The same challenges also apply globally. While we speak here about new and innovative uses of technology, the majority of the world’s population has never used a telephone, and illiteracy is widespread. The digital divide is a reality.

It is essential that industrialized countries – and companies – bear their responsibilities by assisting developing countries in improving their education systems and building their ICT -infrastructures.

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At the United Nations Millennium Summit in 2000 we adopted the Millennium Declaration in which we challenge ourselves to ensure that globalization becomes a positive force for all the world’s people. For while globalization offers great opportunities, at present its benefits are very unevenly shared, and its costs are unevenly distributed.

One concrete indication of the desire to implement the Millennium Declaration is the World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization, which was established by the International Labour Organisation two and half years ago. I had the honour to co-chair this commission with the Tanzanian president Benjamin Mkapa. In this connection I would also like to warmly thank Taizo Nishimuro of Toshiba Corporation, whose contribution to the work of the World Commission was most valuable.

The commission, which was once called the Commission of not like-minded people, made finally a unanimous report. The report contains numerous recommendations from issues concerning local communities to reforms in the international political and economic system. I will speak more about the World Commission’s work tomorrow at the UN University here in Tokyo.

Both Finland and Japan have benefited from globalization and the liberalisation of international markets. Now we have to work together in order to fulfil the commitment of the Millennium Declaration.

We are close allies in the World Trade Organisation (WTO), where we are now striving for a successful conclusion to the ongoing negotiations on the Doha Development Round.

We must make sure that the forthcoming conclusion lives up to the promise of a fairer international trade regime. A trade regime that also provides developing countries with more equitable rules, better market access and a real chance to integrate into the world trade system. To this end, the European Union has already opened its markets to products from the least developed countries and has made a commitment to reform its agricultural policy in a serious way. It is vital that all industrialised countries make similar reforms and commitments.

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Japan and Finland share a history of cultural co-operation that has been strengthened since the establishment of the Finnish Institute in Japan in 1997. The institute joins the other established contacts in promoting co-operation in the fields of research, higher education and culture.

Finnish architecture, design and music are well known in Japan. In the wake of Alvar Aalto the younger generation of Finnish architects and designers has also become known in Japan. In order to enhance this co-operation, the Japan Finland Design Associations have been established in both countries.

Here I would like to mention the great work done by Fujiwo Ishimoto, who has already for more than four decades been an active designer in Finland and especially for Marimekko Company.

The most famous Finnish composer, Jean Sibelius, is well known in Japan, thanks to the late great conductor Akeo Watanabe. I am delighted that Finland’s contemporary composers are also gaining appreciation here in Japan.

Finland and Japan need to strengthen cultural and scientific co-operation. Creativeness will grow in importance in this constantly chancing world of ours. Thus creative collaboration between Japan and Finland could – and probably should - soon surpass the more traditional bilateral co-operation between our two nations.

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I conclude by thanking the organisers and all participants at this seminar “Towards the E-Society, Challenges for Finland and Japan.” The wide participation of Japanese and Finnish companies and organisations shows that there is a real desire to strengthen co-operation between Japanese and Finnish businesses.

I wish you all a most fruitful and successful co-operation!