The Regional Council of North Karelia and representatives of the Regional Government of Nagano Prefecture of Japan and the City of Ina of Nagano signed two cooperation agreements in Joensuu on 23 October 2019 to launch extensive Finnish-Japanese forest bioeconomy cooperation. The aim of the cooperation is to transfer a wide range of expertise and know-how in the forestry sector in order to develop forestry in Japan and, in parallel, to accelerate the export of Finnish know-how and technologies to the country. The aim of the cooperation is to transfer a wide range of know-how, expertise and technologies from Japan to Finland, to promote business networking, commercial cooperation and invest-in activities between regions and with North Karelian companies and operators in the field. In order to give concrete expression to the cooperation between the two regions, Karelia Ammattikorkeakoulu Oy carried out a preparatory project with funding from the North Karelia Future Fund for the period 1 March to 30 June 2020, which examined the key development needs and targets of the target area in Japan, and prepared this application for the launch of the multifaceted forest bioeconomy cooperation between North Karelia and Nagano. The project preparation was carried out in cooperation between the applicant Karelia Ammattikorkeakoulu Oy and the partners in the project, the North Karelia Regional Council, Riveria, Natural Resources Institute LUKE, the University of Eastern Finland and Business Joensuu Oy. The preparatory cooperation also involved experts from Metsäkeskus North Karelia and Team Finland networks of the North Karelia ELY Centre and the Finnish Embassy in Tokyo in Japan. The project promotes low carbon in a broad way and provides models for other actors. The project has been implemented in an enhanced manner in accordance with the principles of low carbon, based on digital materials and virtual appearances. As a result of the development cooperation, forest education has been carried out in a virtual manner and the learning materials have been constructed digitally. Similarly, past and new training activities, co-operation meetings developed in the project, as well as presentations and export promotion of cooperation companies and organisations, have been effectively implemented in both directions through virtual means between the target regions. The main objectives and measures of the project are: — The concrete launch, development and consolidation of forest bioeconomy co-operation under the North Karelia-Nagano cooperation agreements, — the establishment and maintenance of regular interregional contacts and dialogue on development cooperation at all levels. North Karelia actively communicates the know-how and expertise of our region to the target area, and the new opportunities for cooperation in the target region, — The active involvement of the North Karelian partners in Japan, and support for the development of these Japanese market activities as a permanent and continuous international business, — supporting the development of cooperation between project companies in Japan so that the companies reach each of the target markets of at least one potential partner during the project, and start developing commercial cooperation for at least one supply or service contract during the project; — North Karelian training operators will find cooperation organisations in the target area, conclude partnership agreements and develop development plans for cooperation with them. A wide range of cooperation networks can be created in the target area, and they will start co-operation activities during the project, — Training of training organisations in Japan will start as a goal, and concrete development measures will be launched between the partners already during the project, — the research organisations of the project will find partner organisations in the target area, conclude partnership agreements and draw up plans for research cooperation with them. A wide range of cooperation networks will be created in the target area and will launch co-operation activities during the project. Research cooperation with partners will start as intended, and results consistent with the objectives will be generated or can be seen as the project lasts. Reciprocally: — The assistance and networking of Japanese companies and organisations in Finland and North Karelia will begin, leading to permanent and regular interactions with Finnish operators, — the transfer of Japanese know-how, expertise and technologies to Finland will begin. Co-operation partners plan and prepare invest-in measures, — Commercial study visits from Japan to Finland and North Karelia are of a recurring nature, and several supply agreements in both directions are concluded between the partners during the project. Result: The project has taken the form of forest bioeconomy companies in North Karelia, research