Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has apologised to citizens of Japan, China and South Korea after three Finnish lawmakers triggered international criticism by posting racist images online.

In statements shared by Finland’s embassies across the three nations, Orpo expressed “sincere apologies” for what he described as “offensive” behaviour by individual MPs. He emphasised the incident does not reflect the country’s values, stressing that “equality and inclusion” are core principles of Finnish society.

The row erupted when three politicians from the anti-immigration Finns Party posted photos on social media in which they pulled back the corners of their eyes, a gesture widely recognised as a racist insult directed at East Asian people. The MPs said they shared the images to support Sarah Dzafce, who recently lost her Miss Finland 2025 title after a similar photo resurfaced online.

The fallout has already affected Finnish interests abroad. Public broadcaster Yle reported that a domestic TV production company has paused joint ventures in Japan, while national airline Finnair acknowledged the controversy has damaged its image in Asian markets.

Prime Minister Orpo made clear the MPs’ conduct “does not represent Finland’s position,” as the government confronts mounting criticism over the Finns Party’s role in repeated scandals.

The three politicians involved have responded differently to public anger. MP Juho Eerola issued an apology, and MEP Sebastian Tynkkynen insisted the gesture was not intended to offend. MP Kaisa Garedew, however, told local media she did not believe she owed anyone an apology.

The Finns Party parliamentary group is expected to meet on Thursday to discuss potential disciplinary measures.

The government, which took office in 2023, has faced a series of controversies linked to Finns Party members—most recently in August, when another MP accused immigrants of turning Finland into “a pigsty.” Photo by Fanni Uusitalo, valtioneuvoston kanslia, Wikimedia commons.