Comparative Analysis of Japanese Bilateral Cultural Diplomacy Towards Nordic Countries in the XXI Century

This study investigates the expansion of Japanese culture outside of Japan and the observation of Nordic influences within Japan under the prism of cultural diplomacy, soft power, and gastrodiplomacy. Three research questions were developed: “how does cultural diplomacy impact bilateral relations between Japan and Norway in the 21st century?”, “how does cultural diplomacy impact bilateral relations between Japan and Sweden in the 21st century?”, “how does cultural diplomacy impact bilateral relations between Japan and Denmark in the 21st century?”. The research paper employs comparative and descriptive case studies and bases the results on the analysis of secondary data, ethnographic research, statistics, and tables. By comparing three cases, Japan and Norway, Japan and Sweden, Japan and Denmark, it attempts to examine the influence of cultural diplomacy on bilateral relations between Japan and Nordic countries. A comprehensive analysis, centered on the evaluation of the influence of cultural diplomacy on bilateral ties between Japan and the Nordic countries, was conducted in order to address the research questions. It was possible to fully evaluate the data and find outcomes by looking at each case individually. This field of study contributes to a deeper scientific knowledge of cross-cultural interactions and provides useful concepts for enhancing the effectiveness of diplomacy via culture, which may lead to stronger and more mutually beneficial global partnerships.