The Polar Connect Event Fosters Stronger Collaborations in Japan

On 16th December 2024 the North Pole Fiber project team hosted the Polar Connect Event in Tokyo, Japan. Supported by the Embassy of Sweden and Business Sweden, we invited regional governments, government agencies, commercial actors, and the main experts in Japanese connectivity to come together in the discussions about Arctic connectivity between Europe and Asia.

The event, with over twenty attendees, began with welcoming remarks by Ambassador Viktoria Li and Trade Commissioner Carsten Grönblad. Following this, presentations were delivered by Peter Fatelnig (Minister Counsellor for Digital Economy Policy at the Delegation of the European Union to Japan), Thomas Neidenmark (Senior Policy Officer, Government Offices of Sweden), Osamu Akashi (Project Professor, Deputy Director of Research and Development Center for Academic Networks, NII/SINET) and Hirochika Asa (tech lead at ARENA-PAC), as well as a presentation on Polar Connect, by Valter Nordh (CEO of NORDUnet) and Per Nihlén (CTO of SUNET and Head of Unit, Swedish Research Council).

The Polar Connect Event was a success and provided an excellent opportunity to strengthen relations, to further implement Polar Connect’s Vision 2030 and advance the stakeholder engagement in the North Pole Fiber project.

Woman lectures.
Ambassador Viktoria Li opens the Polar Connect Event 2024.

Per Nihlén

Organisation: Sunet, Swedish Research Council
Title: Chair of the Polar Connect Advisory Board and Chief Technology Officer and Inventory

Per is the Chair of the Polar Connect Advisory Board . He serves as Head of Unit at  the Swedish Research Council, where he leads the development and operation of Sweden’s national infrastructure for research and education in networking and digital communication. With over three decades of experience in digital infrastructure and public-sector innovation, Per leadership has been instrumental in advancing high-capacity networks that support research collaboration, data-intensive science, and education across the Nordic region. Per is also Chair of the Board of the Foundation for the Development of Telematics, a grant-making foundation that supports the advancement of high-performance digital infrastructure in Sweden. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Netnod, representing the foundation as owner and contributing to the governance of Sweden’s critical internet infrastructure. Per has been a trusted advisor to government agencies, research institutions, and international collaborations.

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