After graduating from law school, Juhantalo worked as a lawyer.

In 1991, Juhantalo was appointed Minister of Trade and Industry in the Aho Cabinet.

[2] Juhantalo resigned from the government in 1992 when it was revealed that he had insisted Säästöpankkien Keskus-Osake-Pankki give him a bank loan so that the government acquire a portion of Tampella owned by the bank.

In 1993, Juhantalo was impeached and convicted of insisting on a bribe and sentenced to conditional discharge for a year.

[4] Juhantalo died of cancer on 26 April 2020, two days before his 78th birthday.