Barcelona and Osaka have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to work more closely together in key areas such as smart cities, entrepreneurship, tourism, and food. The agreement, following a Barcelona delegation’s visit to Expo Osaka-Kansai in May 2025, strengthens a relationship based on the shared pursuit of knowledge and innovation to address common challenges facing both cities.

Osaka is regarded as Japan’s economic capital and ranks among the leading Asian cities in the global index of innovative cities. This MoU is its first formal agreement with Barcelona.

The agreement was signed today by the mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, and the mayor of Osaka, Hideyuki Yokoyama, and sets out the main areas of cooperation: promoting smart city exchanges in areas such as urban and technological innovation to improve residents’ quality of life; entrepreneurship and start-ups, focusing on sharing best practices and policies in relation to entrepreneurship and start-up ecosystems; and tourism and food culture, with the aim of strengthening mutual understanding and cultural ties.

Both cities have also committed to strengthening mutual understanding through regular engagement and an ongoing review of specific exchange projects.

The MoU ‘is a major step forward in positioning Barcelona as an international hub for urban innovation, entrepreneurship and culture, while at the same time strengthening ties with Osaka, a global leader in technology, tourism and cuisine,’ said Mayor Jaume Collboni, highlighting the collaboration between the two cities. ‘The agreement will benefit professionals and the general public in both cities through the exchange of knowledge and experience, improving public policies and innovative projects.’