Takahiro Nakamae: "Catalonia is home to half of the state's Japanese business centers."

MadridSalvador Illa begins this Monday an official trip to Japan and the Republic of Korea for reaffirm Catalonia's position as an investment hubIn this context, the Japanese ambassador to Spain since 2022, Takahiro Nakamae, meets with the ARA in his office at the Japanese embassy, amid a busy schedule marked by the promotion of the Universal Exposition, which Japan is hosting this year.

2025 marks the Catalonia-Japan Year, and the Generalitat (Catalonia-Japan Year) will participate in Expo Osaka 2025. Where are these relations now?

— Relations between Japan and Catalonia are in very good condition. Business activity is vigorous, and several investment projects are underway. For more than fifteen years, the Generalitat (Catalan Government) has been supporting our relations through the Japan Plan, which serves as a platform in the economic, political, and cultural spheres. For example, we're seeing a boom in cultural exchanges, with Manga Barcelona being a notable event with unparalleled attendance. I also know that up to 10 cities organize Japanese cultural festivals, and five high schools already offer Japanese language courses. I think the Generalitat's promotional trip is very timely, and we should seize the opportunity.

You were appointed ambassador just after Nissan closed, which was an economic and social blow. How did you experience it?

— It's a decision made by a particular company, so I'm not in a position to comment. I know there were social repercussions in Catalonia [as a result of the closure], but if we look at the economic and business relations between Japan and Catalonia, I see a different picture.

Did the closure mean a cooling of relations or has the page been turned?

— Catalonia hosts around 185 work centres of Japanese companies, between offices and plants, which are almost half of those operating in Spain, and investments continue to advance: in pharmaceuticals, in computer technology, in emerging artificial intelligence companies... The Barcelona Supercomputing Center, for example, cooperates very intensively with a company that has already invested 75 million euros to install ahubvehicle supply at the port of Barcelona, ​​with its sights set on Europe, the Mediterranean and North Africa.

— Japanese entrepreneurs are seeking new investments. It's not a question of whether the page has been turned or not. The investment environment is always changing, and companies are looking for where to allocate their resources to optimize their returns, and decisions are made based on what they perceive. Multinationals are increasingly aware of global challenges such as climate change, economic security, and digital transformation, and they take them into account when continuing their activities. Governments must also take these changes into account and take proactive measures. I believe the Generalitat (Catalan Government) is aware of this when it comes to promoting business exchanges.

Given the protectionist policies of the Donald Trump administration, could more Japanese investments be coming to the EU, Spain, or Catalonia?

— Japan finds the US tariff measures regrettable. We continue to encourage the US to reconsider them, and we continue to negotiate. Japan supports the principles of free trade, and with protectionism, the countries affected are the smallest and most vulnerable. Free trade and multilateralism may be imperfect, but for now, they are the best we have. On this basis, and given the current unpredictable situation, we are intensifying collaboration with other partners globally.

Japan invested heavily in Catalonia, but later there was a certain decline and many relocated to cheaper countries. Do they maintain their industrial focus?

— I don't share the concern [about relocation]. Japanese investment in Catalonia is very strong, and there are several projects that are strengthening its production capacity, and new areas of investment are also being developed. The important thing is that Catalonia continues to showcase its advantages [to attract Japanese companies]: predictability, stability, and appropriate, equitable, and fair investment support.

— The so-called B2B [business] has also grown. These are not necessarily visible companies that produce consumer products, but rather are integrated into the global production chain. The role of the [Catalan] government is to promote these movements because it is the way to invigorate economic activities. Japan's industrial vocation is not being questioned; what we are discussing is how to collaborate in a competitive market.

What has surprised you most about the Catalan economy?

— The emergence of new business activities, especially in IT, such as video game companies or startups that produce content related to artificial intelligence. This is a sector that creates wealth in terms of human resources in Barcelona, ​​where many computer engineers come because they love the city. The same is true in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, where there are core industries in which Japanese companies can invest with new technologies and increase productivity. It also greatly appeals to the standard of living in Barcelona, ​​one of the best cities without exception.

You have extensive diplomatic experience. To what extent do you consider Donald Trump's arrival in the White House a turning point?

— Not only in the United States; the world is at a historic turning point. We have come from years of optimism in which we see that globalization, interdependence, and free trade would bring us a better world. But while some countries have developed spectacularly, others have lagged behind, and the gap has widened. Furthermore, Russia's invasion of Ukraine has marked the end of that era.

— Division, confrontation, and trends in thought such as extremism and populism are global phenomena, and I think it's very important to try to understand them. The important thing is to see what we can do, and Japan has always been grounded in the principles of protecting, maintaining, and supporting a free and open international order, based on the principle of the rule of law.

Given this scenario, Europe and Spain are looking more to China. How does Japan view it?

— The EU and Spain are strategic partners for Japan. No one doubts the opportunity that collaboration with China represents. But it is also true that it is posing challenges in trying to change thestatus quo in the seas and we are worried due to the situation in the Taiwan Strait. So, our position is to maintain a constructive and stable relationship with China, with dialogue, but without ceasing to raise our concerns.