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.