Japan Expo 2025

[zeebefree]

The official character of the Japan Expo 2025, “MYAKU-MYAKU”, has been revealed!

PROFILE
Place of birth: A small spring somewhere in Kansai.
Personality: friendly, goofy, clumsy
Special skills: Transforming into various shapes and finding a rainbow after the rain.
Favorite things: Interacting with all creatures and things.

A mysterious creature born from the unification of cells and water. Its identity is unknown.
The red part is the “cell,” which divides and increases.
The blue part is “clean water,” which can be transformed to flow.
It seems that it is looking for itself to be who it wants to be, and has transformed into various shapes.
The figure takes its shape by imitating human beings.
However, it may change its appearance too much and forget its original shape.
The source of its energy is to go outside and enjoy the sunlight. It also loves rainy days and can take the rain into its body.
MYAKU-MYAKU dreams that everyone knows about it even before the Expo’s opening and that it will meet many people at Expo 2025, Osaka, Kansai, Japan.

https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/overview/character/

[zeebefree]

Revealed: Japan unveils the design of its pavilion at #Expo2025 Osaka Kansai.
The host country pavilion, whose design was overseen by Oki Sato, will be made of cross-laminated timber that will be reused after the World Expo.

https://twitter.com/bieparis/status/1623645832326135809

[PA]

FLYING CARS ARE CURRENTLY BEING DEVELOPED BY JAPAN'S PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS FOR INTRODUCTION AT THE OSAKA-KANSAI EXPO IN 2025

TOKYO >> Japan’s transport ministry has released an outline of the operational and safety systems for flying cars being developed in the country, covering the establishment of a pilot licensing system and the introduction of black boxes to record flight data.

Japan’s government will establish a new pilot’s license for flying cars, equivalent to an automobile license, as well as a license for mechanics who fix the cars.

The cars will be equipped with transmitters that allow them to be regularly tracked, and the design of vertiports — takeoff and landing sites — also are being developed.

The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition has begun accepting applications from private companies interested in operating flying-car services between Kansai Airport and the expo’s venue. Flying cars are one of the highlights of the event.

Source: https://www.staradvertiser.com/2023/02/02/news/development-of-flying-cars-progresses/

Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura sits in a prototype of a flying car in Osaka’s Suminoe Ward on Sept. 14. (Itsuki Soeda)

SkyDrive launched a project to develop a flying vehicle in 2018 and has conducted demonstration experiments and analyses as well as manned flying experiments.

Its latest prototype is a single-seated vehicle 2 meters high and 4 meters in width and length. The flying vehicle is equipped with eight electric propellers and can fly at a maximum speed of 40 to 50 kph for 5 to 10 minutes at a time. Before such flying cars are put to work at the Expo, legislation still has to be passed allowing their use, city officials said.

Source: https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14440954

[PA]

EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, A Signing Ceremony held with the Swiss Confederation






Source: https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/news/news-20230201-01/

In view of the great significance of the host country Japan as one of the most important economic partners in Asia and the close cooperation at political and multilateral level, the Federal Assembly approved a credit of CHF 19.4 million in December 2022. Through the acquisition of sponsors, the net expenditure for the Confederation amounts to CHF 13.2 million.



Switzerland's presence at Expo 2025 in Osaka will centre on positioning Switzerland as an efficient, leading innovation hub with a focus on the three thematic areas of 'Life': life sciences, health and nutrition, 'Planet': environment, sustainability, climate and energy, and 'Augmented human': robotics and artificial intelligence.

Source: https://houseofswitzerland.org/events/swiss-pavilion-expo-osaka

Revelation of the Swiss Pavilion design and model.

Source: https://twitter.com/SwissEmbassyJP

[PA]

EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, A Signing Ceremony held with the Swiss Confederation

The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition concluded a Participation Contract with the Swiss Confederation at the signing ceremony held on February 1, 2023, at the official residence of the Embassy of Switzerland in Japan.

Secretary General of The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, Mr. Ishige Hiroyuki together with Swiss Confederation Commissioner General of Section, Mr. Manuel Salchli.

Source: https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/news/news-20230201-01/

In view of the great significance of the host country Japan as one of the most important economic partners in Asia and the close cooperation at political and multilateral level, the Federal Assembly approved a credit of CHF 19.4 million in December 2022. Through the acquisition of sponsors, the net expenditure for the Confederation amounts to CHF 13.2 million.

"Our presence in Osaka will be an important showcase to position Switzerland as an innovative and reliable partner that extends a hand to tackle the major global challenges together with other nations. The aim is for our presence to have an impact not only on the general public, but also in the long term in the economic and scientific spheres," says Alexandre Edelmann, interim head of Presence Switzerland.

Switzerland's presence at Expo 2025 in Osaka will centre on positioning Switzerland as an efficient, leading innovation hub with a focus on the three thematic areas of 'Life': life sciences, health and nutrition, 'Planet': environment, sustainability, climate and energy, and 'Augmented human': robotics and artificial intelligence.

Source: https://houseofswitzerland.org/events/swiss-pavilion-expo-osaka

[PA]

EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, "Private Pavilion Exhibition"

In February 2022, a total of 13 exhibitors of Pavilion Private Sectors were selected, and in May of the same year, 12 of the 13 companies and organizations announced their basic concept of their pavilions. The Association revealed the exhibit location of each pavilion at the Expo site. With this decision, the Association is pleased to announce that 13 exhibitors of the pavilion for private sector have been fully present and all exhibit locations have been confirmed.

Source: https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/news/news-20230126-01/



Source: https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/news/news-20230126-01/

[ResortsAhoy]

Architecture design firm Buchan was selected to lead the design for the Australian Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. Under the theme "Chasing the Sun," the installation will encapsulate Australia's connection to the land and the Cosmos, displaying its rich culture and diverse arts scene. From 13 April 2025 to 13 October 2025, more than 150 countries will participate in a single location, anticipating 28 million visitors from across the globe.

Source: https://www.archdaily.com/994378/buchan-lead-australian-pavilion-design-at-expo-2025-osaka-japan

[MarkEm]

With 900 days until the opening of the next World Expo, the meeting provided an opportunity for Expo Organizers, officials from the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), and representatives of participating countries and international organizations to review progress and ongoing preparations for the event. Following on from Expo 2020 Dubai and the gradual lifting of travel restrictions related to COVID-19, this first large-scale gathering of all key stakeholders in Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai marks a key step in the journey towards the next World Expo.

Representatives of over 100 countries participated in the first International Planning Meeting ahead of Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai.

The Meeting is the first of several to be held before the opening of the Expo on April 13, 2025, as host country and participants cooperate around the development of the Expo’s pavilions, content and experience. Dedicated sessions took place October 25 and 26 with regard to the development of the Expo’s theme, “Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” as well as more technical aspects relating to the Master Plan, pavilion construction, logistics and operations, as well as participation in the Virtual Expo.

The signature of these agreements is possible once details about each country’s pavilion is defined, including the theme as well as the size and location of the pavilion. The nine countries are the very first to reach this stage among the 142 countries having thus far confirmed their presence.

Source: https://www.inparkmagazine.com/expo-2025-osaka-kansai-first-meeting/

[Guest]

Do we know which agencies are doing which countries pavilion?

[MarkEm]

The estimated cost of the Osaka Pavilion at the world expo set to take place here in 2025 has soared yet again to reach 11.5 billion yen (roughly $80 million) after earlier ballooning to 10 billion yen (about $68.6 million).

It was originally estimated the pavilion would cost 7.3 billion yen (about $50 million). As the Osaka prefectural and municipal governments will face a heavier financial burden to cover the additional expenses, the prefectural government submitted a supplementary budget proposal to the Osaka Prefectural Assembly on Oct. 11.

Officials considered changing the shape of the roof to lower expenses, and Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura said Sept. 16 he had heard the cost would somehow be kept down to 10 billion yen.

However, at that stage the actual cost of construction was estimated to be 11 billion yen (around $75.5 million), and 10 billion yen was said to be only a "rough estimate." In the end the estimated cost came to some 4 billion yen (approximately $27.5 million) more than the original estimate. An additional cost of approximately 2 billion yen (about $13.7 million) was included in the prefectural government's supplementary budget. Negotiations to reduce the cost further will be made in the future with Takenaka Corp.

Source: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20221011/p2a/00m/0na/014000c