Tokyo meets the world: Norway

My impression, compared to twenty years ago when I first came to Tokyo, is that the country hasn’t changed that much. Japan has a very stable society. But today, Japan is more aware of its own value and potential, and it has been branding itself better to the world. Although we are still in the midst of a pandemic, I believe that the tourism industry will continue to grow here, attracting more visitors in the future. Another striking change is with the younger generation in terms of gender equity. I now see fathers holding their kids and pushing prams. There’s still much to do, but hopefully things are moving in the right direction.

My husband and I enjoy nature a lot, and I often head to places where I can feel nature in the city. The Institute for Nature Study in Meguro is one of my most beloved places. Arisugawa Park in our neighbourhood is also a daily source of minus ions, as is the Nezu Museum garden. My husband and I very much enjoy walking in Yanaka. Before the pandemic the area had been enjoying a small tourism boom, but it remains a place of serenity and tradition. There are art galleries, temples and small streets, and it’s close to the cultural district in Ueno too. I like walking and discovering new areas.

The famous Norwegian coffee shop chain Fuglen now has locations in different parts of Tokyo. It used to own a fantastic Scandinavian design furniture shop in Shibuya, but since the pandemic they only sell online. The Fuglen cafés have furniture similar to what our grandparents and parents had, from the 50s and 60s.

My favourite place is probably Vaner, a bakery in Yanaka where you can enjoy Norwegian sourdough bread and cinnamon rolls, but also sit on the second floor tatamis by the window, looking out on the inner garden.

Besides eating, the Norwegian Rain flagship store in Kanda has beautiful raincoats, and let me tell you – they know a thing or two about those, since it rains a lot in Bergen where the company comes from! Last but not least, the popular Tom Wood Project for jewels and fashion offers a contemporary taste of home.

Before the pandemic we were welcoming ever more Japanese tourists. I think Norway has gained tremendous awareness in Japan over the past twenty years. Japanese tourists are very keen on seeing the northern lights, so they come in midwinter, which hardly anyone else does [laughs], so the country is all for them. Jokes aside, the Japanese are loved for their discretion and good spirit. Hopefully we will be able to welcome them again soon, and please try visiting in summer too!

We have a steady political and economic relationship, with special goals that unite us, not least linked to the fact that both our countries are very much oriented towards the sea. We export beloved foodstuffs such as salmon and mackerel, and the mackerel is in fact often processed here in Japan.

Both Norway and Japan are also monarchies. However, it is a constitutional monarchy, with a monarch that has no political power, but represents the country based on its values and traditions. In Norway, we’ve had our own constitution since the early 19th century. When we gained complete independence in 1905, the new Norwegian monarchy was established when a Danish prince was chosen by referendum to become the new king.

Every single ministry in Norway has sustainable development goals (SDGs). I would especially like to highlight SDG number 14, ‘Life below water’. So much of the Norwegian economy depends on the ocean. Like Japan, almost our entire population lives along the coast. We are known for oil and gas extraction, but fisheries are also an important part of our exports. In the coming decades, the sea will become an ever more crucial source of food for the world’s population and a vital balancing element for our planet. Plastic [pollution] in the oceans is a dramatic and urgent issue we have to solve. Wind power will also to a large extent be developed in and by the sea, where the wind is strongest.

Norway is one of the leading countries when it comes to electric vehicles. Last year 65 percent of new vehicles in our country were fully electric. That’s a world record. Japan will surely ramp up its EV production in the future, and the Nissan Leaf is already very popular in Norway. The quick transition to EVs in Norway was encouraged by the fact that regular cars and petrol have been heavily taxed in our country for many years. EVs are exempt from taxes and of course don’t use petrol. Both private and public actors have also invested in a great EV charging network. The goal is that three years from now, in 2025, every new car sold in Norway would be fully electric. And nearly all Norwegian electricity is produced from hydroelectric power.

As you could see through the achievements of our athletes during the Beijing Winter Olympics, Norway has a great sports culture. But this doesn’t stop with athletes. Our country encourages kids to play outdoors, and as far as physical and mental health is concerned, it has a very positive influence. In Norway we say that ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes’ [laughs]. What we mean is kids should enjoy nature as it is – the rain, the snow, the seasons. But this also means we need to protect biodiversity and unspoilt nature, in the sea as well as on land – often a challenge when big investments are made in more climate-friendly energy and transport systems. Norway also gives strong priority to the SDGs in its development assistance.

Japan has always been keen on its relation with nature, so we have values to share. Oslo Airport, which was built almost 25 years ago, is made of beautiful local wood. I think Japanese architecture, which is already renowned throughout the world, should place even more trust in materials such as wood, like they used to do in traditional architecture. All countries have a lot of work to do to make the construction sector sustainable, for example by reusing building materials.

Norway has long been a leader in gender equality, but there’s no secret [to success] there. You just have to implement the necessary measures, and you need to be willing to do so. Norway has been working on [gender equality] since its independence and even before that, for over 150 years. In the early 1990s, when I joined the foreign service, recruitment was already fifty-fifty [male-female], but that’s because applications were about fifty-fifty. Still, thirty years ago, there were very few women as ambassadors or in top political positions, compared to now. So things have changed quickly even in Norway.

If your goal is to promote women’s empowerment, there are so many things you can do. In Norway we don’t go out for drinks with our boss or colleagues after work, since private and family life is gold. Men and women, whether they’re regular office workers or top managers, are all supposed to leave their desks and pick up their kids from school in the late afternoon, have dinner with them, and play with them until they go to bed. Of course, because of that, sometimes you have to work again late at night to catch up. Therefore, you need to have a healthy life and rhythm in order to manage long and productive days on and off work.

Japan has set up the green shift as a major political goal. It’s a huge change, and a very promising one. If Japan with all its research, industrial and technological capacity sets its mind on really becoming green, it will be a game changer for the planet. Japan would benefit from becoming self-sufficient through new clean energy production, because it would also help in achieving energy security through decreased dependence on other countries in this regard. Norway has lots of experience in renewable energy such as offshore wind [power], and our knowhow and techniques could help Japan. Norway and Japan have also cooperated on developing hydrogen technologies for a long time, a source of energy that could benefit Japan’s heavy industry and long-haul shipping in the future.