Chile is getting ready to shine at Expo Osaka 2025, showcasing its leadership in sustainability, innovation, and quality in areas such as meat exports. The Chilean Commissioner, Paulina Nazal, explains why events like this one are crucial for strengthening the Chilean economy in Japan.
International trade is a vital pillar of Chile’s economy, as more than 60% of its GDP comes from exports. This underscores the significance of Chile’s participation in Japan’s Expo Osaka 2025, scheduled from April 13 to October 13. The expo offers a strategic opportunity for Chile to enhance its business ties and expand its global presence. It could serve as an international platform for the Chilean economy, highlighting leading industries such as meat, known for their reliability, sustainability, innovation, and quality.
Paulina Nazal serves as Chile’s General Commissioner for Expo Osaka 2025, the official representative accredited by Japan responsible for the country’s presence at the event. Nazal has over 20 years of experience in foreign trade policy and was Chile’s General Director for International Economic Affairs from 2016 to 2018 (equivalent to today’s Undersecretary for International Economic Affairs). Before her current role, she worked as an international consultant and Foreign Policy advisor for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was a member of the panel of experts at Universidad Católica’s Center for International Studies (CIEUC), among other roles. Given her international experience, Nazal has been entrusted with coordinating Chile’s participation, managing key partnerships, and fostering collaboration among the public, private, and civil society stakeholders.
In charge of leading the Chilean team for this global milestone, Nazal emphasizes the importance of both Expo Osaka and the Japanese market for Chile, not only in terms of trade but also at the diplomatic and political levels. “Japan is the country in Asia with the longest diplomatic relations with Chile—127 years of history dating back to 1897. It is our third-largest trading partner, the fourth-largest economy in the world, and the primary Asian investor in Chile. Our presence here is crucial for establishing the country as a world-class exporter. It’s a golden opportunity to strengthen these ties and increase Chilean exports, especially in key sectors such as meat and agricultural products, as well as to showcase our potential in critical areas related to a more sustainable world, such as clean energy,” Nazal explained.
Japan plays a pivotal role in the Chilean economy, both in total exports ($8.2 billion USD in 2024) and non-copper/non-lithium products, with over $2.7 billion USD, as reported by ProChile’s Market Intelligence Department based on Chilean Customs data. As a global economic powerhouse and the second largest in Asia, Japan provides a global platform for business, innovation, and cutting-edge technology. It’s also the Asian country that has invested the most capital to Chile across industries like mining, forestry, fishing, aquaculture, telecommunications, and global services.
A large-scale event
This world expo is expected to welcome more than 30 million visitors, including 3.5 million foreigners, primarily from Asia. Under the theme “Designing Future Society for our Lives,” the event invites countries to showcase their attributes and contributions to addressing this vital question.
Chile will feature prominently with its pavilion “Makuñ: “Chile’s Mantle,” strategically located in the “Saving Lives” area of the Expo. The concept highlights Chile’s cultural and natural wealth and will serve as the cornerstone of the country’s participation, leveraging this international platform to promote its export offerings and strengthen business and cultural ties, thereby solidifying its presence in the Asian market and reaffirming its leadership in key sectors.
The meat sector: a key pillar of Chile’s strategy
The meat sector is a crucial component of Chile’s economy and strategy for the Expo. The country is internationally recognized for the quality and reliability of its meat products, particularly pork, which has significant representation in Asian markets such as China, South Korea, the Philippines, and Japan.
During the exhibition, the Chilean meat sector will emphasize the efforts to produce meat safely, free from disease, and environmentally responsible. “We aim to show how the meat sector has evolved to prioritize sustainability. The Chile Conscious Origin program is a good example of this, with sector associations like ChileCarne promoting a sustainable agri-food industry with high standards of sustainability, performance, and, above all, public-private collaboration,” Nazal emphasizes. And adding: “The commitment to traceability, animal welfare, and food biosecurity—in the context of a global health crises—will be key features to showcase the Chilean meat sector.”
Sustainability will be a central theme throughout the event, with all industries in the Chilean pavilion highlighting the country’s significant advancements, such as the energy transition, responsible production of natural resources like husbandry, water, lithium, green hydrogen, and sustainable mining. Astronomy, another area in which Chile excels globally, will be striking and also have a prominent presence at the Expo. The world’s cleanest and clearest skies will be on display, along with Chile’s astronomical centers and observatories located in the north of the country, which collaborate in research with international institutions, including those from Japan.
Only 10% of Japanese people know about Chile
One of the primary goals of the country’s participation in Expo Osaka 2025 is to increase awareness of the country in Japan. According to the commissioner, “Only 10% of the Japanese people knows about Chile, which underscores the need to enhance the country’s visibility in this market. We want people to understand what we are doing and what we have achieved. Our aim is to raise that percentage and improve the Chile brand standing in Japan, for which we are working closely with the Imagen de Chile Foundation,” Nazal explained. Events such as Expo Osaka are critical to achieving this goal, as they will strengthen bilateral relations and pave the way for strategic partnerships with other participating countries. “We will seize every opportunity to establish strategic partnerships, both with Japan and other countries,” Nazal stated, emphasizing the importance of interactions among businesspeople and delegations during the event as a catalyst for exploring new business opportunities.
“How does a happy life look?” is the key question posed by Expo Osaka 2025, and Chile demonstrates that the path is built on quality, mutual trust, and a commitment to a more responsible future. We understand that the country’s presence at global events goes beyond a simple business exhibition; it represents a declaration of Chile’s capacity to innovate, drive sustainability, and enhance its global presence. This is a unique opportunity to make a lasting impression on the international stage, strengthening the Chile brand and solidifying its strategic position. With support from key sectors such as ChileCarne, the country is prepared to stand out in an increasingly connected and collaborative world among all countries.
