International Cooperation in Economic Security and National Policies... Finland Advances Public-Private Partnership Initiatives: Amulet for a Robust Economy - Economic Security vol.3

Overview

This detailed explanation covers international cooperation and national policies in the field of economic security, with particular focus on Finland's public-private partnership initiatives. ## Importance of International Cooperation in Economic Security ### Need for Strengthening Cooperation with Like-minded Countries - Limitations of single-country responses in an era where economic and technological fields are closely linked to security - Importance of cooperation with countries sharing universal values of freedom, democracy, human rights, and rule of law - Need to aim for maintaining and rebuilding a rules-based international economic order in the medium to long term - Effective cooperation possible even with geographically distant countries for supply chain resilience and strengthening ### Agreements at Japan-UK Economic "2+2" - Japan-UK economic "2+2" meeting held in Tokyo in March 2025 with foreign and economic ministers - Agreement on addressing economic security challenges including supply chain resilience and fair market development - Japan welcomes UK's CPTPP accession (December 2024) - Confirmation that CPTPP is an important pillar for promoting rules-based economic order in the Indo-Pacific region ## Finland's Comprehensive Security System ### Concept of Comprehensive Security and Seven Key Functions - Concept preparing for various threats including natural disasters, pandemics, military conflicts, terrorism, and cyber attacks - Main functions include "Economic, Infrastructure, and Supply Security," "Leadership," "International and EU Activities," and "Defense Capability" - "Domestic Security," "Citizens and Public Service Functions," and "Mental Resilience" positioned as important elements - "Economic, Infrastructure, and Supply Security" particularly serves as ideological foundation for economic security and resilience strengthening ### Role of National Emergency Supply Agency (NESA) - Command organization for crisis response and stockpiling established under Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment in 1992 - Main tasks include risk analysis, stockpiling and management of critical materials, building crisis response systems, and promoting public-private cooperation - Maintains fund financed by strategic stockpiling fees and compensates stockpiling companies - Concluded contract with Fortum for maintaining emergency restart capability at Meri-Pori coal power plant (2024) ## Finland's Public-Private Partnership System ### Structure of National Emergency Supply Organization (NESO) - Public-private partnership operational unit with approximately 1,500 domestic companies participating across 7 industries and 28 sectors - Composed of food supply, energy supply, transport/logistics, healthcare, finance/insurance, industry, and others - Develops plans for securing and protecting critical infrastructure including electricity, gas, water, transportation, and telecommunications - NESA and NESO jointly conduct information sharing and exercises ### Economic Intelligence and Corporate Support - Established mechanism to collect, aggregate, analyze, and provide feedback to private companies - Creates "risk scenarios" assuming specific situations for use in joint training - Started providing self-analysis tools enabling companies to identify vulnerabilities in their infrastructure - Power company cyber attack resistance analysis enables reduction of blackout risks ## Success Factors and Cooperation Prospects with Japan ### Three Elements of Finland's Public-Private Partnership Success - Existence of beneficial "platform" for all participating entities - Building "trust" relationships through continuous dialogue - Sharing "common goals" of contributing to national security - Foundation of high crisis awareness among citizens due to historical background (Soviet invasion experience) ### Possibilities for Japan-Finland Cooperation - Common point of both countries depending on imports for many critical minerals - Potential cooperation with Japan's large-scale supply chains in semiconductors, automobiles, and electronic equipment - Joint statement by leaders announced in June 2025 on strengthening bilateral cooperation including economic security - Commonality as technology-advanced nations valuing democracy, human rights, and equality The article concludes that amid rising geopolitical risks, unified public-private initiatives for economic security and strengthened cooperation with value-sharing countries are essential for improving the effectiveness of Japan's economic security.