SPAIN’S Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo has surprised investors in Tokyo by opening his address in Japanese, a gesture that drew admiration and quickly went viral.
Cuerpo, who studied the language for a year, greeted executives with: “Konnichiwa, minasan. It is a great honour and a true pleasure to be here today in Tokyo.”
He then proceeded to speak for an impressive two minutes in the Japanese language to deliver his message on Spain’s economic outlook.
He was speaking at a working breakfast with leading Japanese investors at the Hotel Okura in Tokyo, part of a trip aimed at deepening Spain’s economic ties with Japan.
The minister told executives that Spain’s GDP is forecast to grow 2.6% in 2025, well above the European average, thanks to strong domestic demand and a resilient labour market.
Investment, he said, is rising as Spain’s recovery plan takes hold, while debt is expected to fall to 100.9% of GDP.
“Our fiscal policy remains prudent,” Cuerpo said, still in Japanese. “We are committed to continuing our structural reforms to ensure sustainable and inclusive growth.”
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He then later wrote on X: “It was an honour to address the investors gathered in Tokyo to convey the good moment that the Spanish economy is experiencing.
“The executives have conveyed a clear message to us: they trust in Spain and are betting on strengthening the ties between our countries.”
Behind the viral clip, his Tokyo mission was serious business. He met major players including Hitachi, Mitsubishi and Itochu, alongside investment funds and banks, to present Spain as a safe destination for foreign capital.
Japan has already invested €9.2 billion in Spain since 2010, particularly in energy, automotive and IT. Strengthening that flow is a key priority for Madrid.
This was Cuerpo’s second visit in little over a year, following on from Spain’s appearance at the AIMA Japan Forum in May – part of a broader push to diversify Spain’s investment ties in Asia.
Japanese media noted that his use of their language built credibility and rapport, complementing the hard economic pitch.
Spain’s strategy follows from the UK’s recent courting of Japan.
London has leveraged its post-Brexit trade deals with Japan – including the CEPA agreement and membership in the trans-Pacific CPTPP bloc – to secure big-ticket investments.
In July, Britain signed a cooperation pact with Tokyo and landed a £7.5 billion clean-energy deal with Sumitomo Corporation, covering offshore wind, hydrogen and grid upgrades.
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Bravo! Finally one of very few Spaniards learns another language.