Helsinki and Tokyo Sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Exchange and Cooperation

On Tuesday 13 October 2026, in Tokyo, Daniel Sazonov, Mayor of Helsinki, and Yuriko Koike, Governor of Tokyo, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on exchange and cooperation between the two cities.

The seven areas of cooperation are:

• Startups, Innovation and Industry
• Longevity
• Children and Childcare
• Education
• Digitalization and AI
• Disaster Preparedness and Urban Resilience
• Culture and Entertainment

The points of contact are the City Executive Office of the City of Helsinki and the International Affairs Division of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Office of the Governor for Policy Planning. They support the departments responsible for each area, and the two cities will review the content through regular dialogue and update it as needed.

The two cities have already exchanged in areas such as startups, education, disaster preparedness and tourism. Mayor Sazonov says the new memorandum will further strengthen the framework of this cooperation and make its priorities clearer.

References

• Tokyo Metropolitan Government press release
• Memorandum between the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the City of Helsinki (English original; the Japanese names of the areas follow the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's reference translation)
• City of Helsinki, "Mayor Sazonov visits Japan, strengthens cooperation between Helsinki and Tokyo"