Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has issued a formal apology to Japan, China and South Korea after three members of parliament caused international outrage by posting images online in
which they made a racist gesture aimed at East Asian people.
“I offer my sincere apologies for the recent offensive social media posts done by individual MPs,” Orpo said in statements released through Finland’s embassies in the three countries. He stressed the behaviour “does not reflect Finland’s values of equality and inclusion,” adding that racism “has no place in Finnish society.”
The controversy centres on lawmakers from the populist, anti-immigration Finns Party, a member of the country’s right-wing coalition government. The politicians shared photos of themselves pulling back the corners of their eyes – a gesture widely recognised as a derogatory mockery of East Asian features.
The lawmakers claimed they were expressing support for Sarah Dzafce, the former Miss Finland 2025, who was stripped of her title last week after posting a similar picture online.
The reaction inside Finland has been swift. Public broadcaster Yle reported that a Finnish television production company has paused joint projects in Japan, while national airline Finnair said the scandal had negatively affected its brand reputation in Asia.
Orpo’s office said the prime minister wanted to make clear that the conduct of the three politicians “does not represent Finland’s position.”
Of the politicians involved, MP Juho Eerola has apologised, while MEP Sebastian Tynkkynen insisted the images were not intended to offend. MP Kaisa Garedew, however, told local media she did not feel an apology was necessary.
The Finns Party parliamentary group is scheduled to meet on Thursday to consider potential disciplinary action.
Finland’s government, elected in 2023, has faced a string of controversies involving Finns Party members. In August, another MP from the party made headlines after claiming immigrants were turning Finland into “a pigsty.” Photo by Fanni Uusitalo, valtioneuvoston kanslia, Wikimedia commons.