Highlights of 2025
- cámara colombo japonesa
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Written by: Natalia Carolina Salazar
Throughout this year, the Colombian-Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry worked constantly to be a bridge of communication between the public, private and educational sectors of both countries and thus strengthen the relationship between Colombia and Japan. As a result of this, during 2025 the Chamber sought to generate and attend spaces that would promote understanding between the two countries, allow the exchange of good practices and ideas and support the strengthening of bilateral cooperation in the short, medium and long term.
That said, and on the eve of the end of this year, we want to make a brief account of these spaces and thank in advance all those who participated and accompanied our projects, ideas and efforts.
Private Sector Support
n 2025, the Chamber not only focused on strengthening the presence of Japanese companies in Colombia but also on being a facilitator and value entity for them. Throughout the year, the Chamber met with guilds and actors from different sectors such as pharmaceuticals, automotive, tourism and finance in order to exchange valuable information on the main challenges and opportunities that each one has in Colombia. Based on this, multiple reports and/or reports were prepared that gather this information in order to provide an overview of the experiences of the private sector and the future of the relationship between Colombia and Japan.
Additionally, spaces for exchange were created with binational chambers of commerce such as the Dosquebradas Chamber of Commerce, the Cauca Chamber of Commerce, and the Cartagena Chamber of Commerce. In parallel, the Chamber supported the creation of informational spaces such as conferences, webinars, and workshops organized by affiliated law firms to discuss various developments in the national context. Finally, in collaboration with Aliados Oxi, a connection was established with AOTS Colombia, a knowledge-based organization that strengthens ties with Japan to enhance Colombia’s quality, productivity, and sustainability. Their contribution was a key element in the logistics of the activities and meetings held during the Business Mission to Expo Osaka 2025.
As can be observed, the importance of these activities lies in their ability to connect stakeholders, represent interests, facilitate strategic alliances, and influence decision-making processes that help promote cooperation and development between Colombia and Japan.
Finally, the Chamber also sought to create networking spaces such as the XXXV Golf Tournament, the event marking the inauguration of the alliance with Iberia, the opening of the Training and Demonstration Center of Mitsubishi Electric Colombia, the Daiichi Sankyo launch, support for JICA programs aimed at Nikkei entrepreneurs, participation in the Auto Show, and a tea ceremony held in collaboration with Mitsubishi.
Strengthening Bilateral Institutional Ties
Another fundamental pillar of the relationship between Colombia and Japan lies in maintaining strong engagement with the public sector, ensuring joint agendas are advanced and constant channels of communication between both governments are established.
With this in mind, the Chamber has worked to create spaces for dialogue and cooperation with public-sector institutions. Evidence of this includes high-level meetings with strategic actors such as the Ambassador of Japan, Gustavo Makanaky; the Ministry of Trade regarding the “green light” given by President Petro to resume negotiations on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in the context of Expo Osaka; and the Ministry of Agriculture.
Likewise, on December 2, the Bilateral Committee will take place, bringing together the Ministries of Trade of both countries in connection with the Memorandum of Cooperation signed this year. This mechanism seeks not only to deepen meetings between both governments but also to hear from various sectors and companies within the Colombian economy. In this regard, the Chamber has worked consistently with the Embassy of Japan on defining the Committee’s agenda.
Colombia–Japan Cultural Exchange
When speaking of a bilateral relationship between two countries as different as Colombia and Japan, bringing their cultures, practices, and traditions closer together is essential to fostering mutual understanding. Accordingly, the Chamber not only prioritizes spaces that enable cultural exchange but also takes responsibility for promoting them and participating in them.
Among the most notable initiatives are the Emperor’s Birthday Celebration organized by the Embassy of Japan, the Sakura Editores event at the Book Fair, and the participation of our Executive Director in the conference “Cultural Diplomacy with Japan: A Driver of the Economy and Tourism.” Finally, within the framework of Expo Osaka, Leslie Benítez, our business advisor in Japan, played an active role in the event and also had the opportunity to meet with multiple Colombian entrepreneurs interested in strengthening their business activities in Japan.
These activities help build a common language between Colombia and Japan, as they require an understanding of each other’s norms, values, and culture. As a result, they facilitate the development of stronger relationships, more effective collaborations, and greater trust among stakeholders from both countries,
Participation in Training and Knowledge Projects
The Chamber has always been clear that strengthening the relationship between Japan and Colombia is not only about fostering bilateral dialogue between the public and private sectors, but also about creating a tripartite exchange that includes the education sector as well.
In line with this, the course “Pathway to Japan: Strategies for the Internationalization of Products and Services in Japan” was created in partnership with Universidad de los Andes. Through three modules (one theoretical and two theoretical-practical), the course aimed to help small and medium-sized entrepreneurs become familiar with Japanese culture and develop a sustainable business model over time for their future expansion into Japan.
From there, based on their performance throughout the course, the ten top-performing companies were selected to receive a specialized advisory session granted by Universidad de los Andes. Among these, three will be chosen as winners and will receive support for their internationalization process from Universidad de La Sabana.This course represents a significant achievement for the Colombian–Japanese Chamber, given the positive reception it received from its participants, who stated that it had broadened their understanding of Japan—particularly its social, cultural, and business context—which is essential for conducting business with the Asian country.
Additionally, the Chamber has delivered lectures in spaces such as the Business Fair at the University of Cauca and the “Friendly Countries Week” at Santo Tomás University. It has also supported the organization of events at universities, such as “Keisai No Michi,” in collaboration with the Japan Center at Universidad de los Andes— a series of talks on business and entrepreneurship in Colombia and Japan.
Finally, this year also brought the opportunity for students from Universidad de La Sabana to visit the facilities of one of our member companies: Yazaki
All of the above demonstrates that the Chamber actively seeks to create and participate in spaces that allow it to listen to the challenges faced by entrepreneurs, gain a comprehensive understanding of the different dimensions of the relationship between Colombia and Japan, influence government-level decision-making, promote Japan as a strategic partner and as a country with immense cultural richness, and, finally, raise awareness about Japan within the education sector.
Year | Meeting | Conference | Consulting | Event |
2025 | 43 | 8 | 2 | 35 |
2025 | 48% | 9% | 2% | 40% |
In 2025, the CCJCI concentrated most of its activities on meetings (48%) and events (40%), reflecting a strategy aimed at strengthening ties and creating spaces for integration with its affiliates. Conferences (9%) had a smaller share but contributed to academic and institutional positioning, while consultings (2%) were infrequent, highlighting an area of opportunity to expand personalized support and diversify the services offered
Year | Virtual | Presential | Hybrid |
2025 | 23 | 60 | 4 |
2025 | 26% | 69% | 5% |
On the other hand, most activities were carried out in face-to-face (69%), reflecting a clear preference for direct encounters and in-person interaction. The virtual (26%) maintained a significant presence, consolidating itself as a flexible and accessible alternative, while the hybrid (5%) had a smaller share, suggesting that it has not yet positioned itself as a predominant option.
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