President invites Japanese companies to explore Lithuania's smart tech market

VILNIUS - President Gitanas Nauseda invited Japanese companies "to explore and engage with" Lithuania's smart technology market as he delivered a speech at the Lithuania-Japan Business Forum in Tokyo on Monday.

Nauseda's office said in a press release that the forum showcased Lithuania's potential in defense and space technologies, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing and the sustainable food industry.

"Lithuania is internationally recognized for its advanced laser technologies, life sciences, and Internet of Things devices. Our space sector has recently strengthened its position in the international space ecosystem. We are a global financial technology hub, ranking 6th in the Global Cybersecurity Index. Our food industry is diverse, sophisticated, and sustainability-focused. Our green-tech and mil-tech ecosystems are also on the rise," Nauseda said in his speech.

"I invite Japanese businesses to explore and engage with Lithuania's smart technology market," he added.

The president also highlighted Lithuania's rapid growth and competitive investment environment.

"Over the past 20 years, using the great transformative power of the European Union, we have raised our GDP per capita to 90 percent of the EU average," he said. "Year after year, Lithuania ranks among the fastest growing economies in Europe."

Nauseda told the forum that starting next year, Lithuania will allocate more than 5 percent of its GDP to defense, opening up significant opportunities for the defense industry.

"To facilitate the growth of military production, we have started cutting red tape. The simplified procedures for setting up production facilities have already attracted industry giants from Germany and the United States," he said.

The president also said that efforts are underway to boost the competitiveness of the seaport of Klaipeda, which holds a market share of around 40 percent in the Baltic region.

Nauseda invited Japanese companies to actively engage in key transport and energy infrastructure projects in Lithuania. He stressed that Lithuania offers an attractive investment environment for the defense industry and for developers of artificial intelligence and autonomous driving technologies.

The president also underlined Lithuania's commitment to achieving energy independence, saying that the country "aims to become fully energy-independent by 2028, with a strategy centered on renewable energy and innovative solutions, including small nuclear reactors," according to the press release.

Nausėda described Japan as a strategic partner for Lithuania in the Indo-Pacific region and one of its key global allies.

"Our political, security, economic, scientific and cultural ties are of great value," he said.

According to the president's office, several important cooperation agreements in the fields of innovation, space and transport were signed at the forum. These included a joint declaration by Innovation Agency Lithuania and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), as well as cooperation agreements between the ports of Klaipeda and Nagoya and between Innovation Agency Lithuania and the CrossU Open Space Business Innovation Platform.

Nauseda began his official visit to Japan by meeting with Emperor Naruhito earlier on Monday.

It was the president's second meeting with the emperor. In 2019, he and the first lady attended the emperor's enthronement ceremony.

"The president's meeting with the Emperor takes place in the context of a close dialogue between Lithuania and Japan," Nauseda's office said in a press release.

"In 2022, the two countries established a bilateral strategic partnership, and in 2024, Japan became a strategic partner of the Three Seas Initiative during the summit in Vilnius. In 2022, Lithuania and Japan celebrated the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations," it said.