World lands in Japan as Expo opens its doors for 6 months

The World Exposition in Osaka opened on Sunday to the public, with organisers hoping the six-month event focused on designing a sustainable future will boost the domestic economy despite delayed preparations, according to Kyodo News.

The expo will continue until October 13 on Yumeshima, an artificial island in Osaka Bay, with 158 countries and regions participating. Some 28.2 million people are projected to visit. The first world expo in Japan since the 2005 event in Aichi Prefecture, it is themed on “life” and ways to create a sustainable future society.

Its major exhibits are encircled by the Grand Ring, which has a circumference of 2 kilometers and is recognised by Guinness World Records as the world’s largest wooden architectural structure.

At the Japan Pavilion, main exhibits include a “Mars rock” discovered by a Japanese research team in Antarctica in 2000, while the Osaka prefectural and city government’s health-themed pavilion features sheets of heart muscle made from iPS cells, a type of stem cells which can grow into any type of body tissue.

The government estimates the event will have an economic impact worth 2.92 trillion yen ($20 billion) nationwide, based on the visitor target of 28.2 million people. On peak days, 220,000 people are projected to visit.

Japan has hosted the World Exposition twice before, most recently in Aichi Prefecture in 2005. Osaka previously held it in 1970, an event that drew more than 64 million primarily domestic visitors and came to be seen as symbolising Japan’s rise as an economic power.

The UAE on Sunday marked the opening of its national pavilion at Expo 2025, Osaka, welcoming the world to an experience that brings together heritage, innovation and interdisciplinary global collaboration.

The Pavilion was inaugurated in the presence of Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Special Envoy of the United Arab Emirates to Japan, Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of State, and Shihab Al Faheem, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the UAE to Japan and Commissioner General of the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, along with dignitaries and guests from the UAE, Japan and the world.

Drawing design inspiration from the UAE’s iconic date palm tree, the pavilion reinterprets areesh - traditional Emirati vernacular architecture - by integrating agricultural date palm waste with masterful Japanese woodworking expertise. The pavilion’s signature feature is its striking forest of 90 rachis columns, soaring up to 16 metres. Created by the Earth to Ether Design Collective - an interdisciplinary network of Emirati and Japanese creatives, the Pavilion is a testament to integrated, global collaboration.

Inside, visitors embark on a multi-sensory journey that celebrates the UAE’s explorer of space, catalysts of healthcare, and stewards of sustainability through immersive multimedia, art installations, and thoughtful interior design.

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber stated, “Here in Osaka, we are proud to share how the UAE is translating ambition into tangible progress - expanding access to energy, investing in clean technologies, advancing the skills and knowledge of people, nurturing industrial transformation, and driving solutions that leave no one behind. Together with our partners in Japan and beyond, we look forward to forging new pathways for a sustainable, inclusive future.” In her remarks, Noura Al Kaabi said, “Our participation in Expo 2025 Osaka is a continuation of a long-standing engagement with the world through platforms that encourage dialogue, collaboration and shared progress. It is particularly meaningful to return to Osaka, where Abu Dhabi first took part in a World Expo in 1970. The UAE Pavilion reflects not only who we are but also who we are becoming, as a nation rooted in its heritage and guided by the possibilities of the future.” Shihab Al Faheem added, “The Pavilion is more than a showcase; it is a platform for meaningful exchange and enduring partnership. We are proud to bring this story to Osaka and to deepen the special relationship between the UAE and Japan - one that spans more than five decades and continues to grow through shared ambition and mutual respect.” A Story of Bilateral Friendship Rooted in shared values, the UAE and Japan share a long-standing strategic partnership spanning over 50 years - with cooperation across energy, trade, education, culture, space, and technology. Abu Dhabi’s first participation at Expo ’70 in Osaka marked a historic milestone in blossoming relations between the UAE and Japan. This Pavilion continues this dialogue through multisensory experiences, and collaborative programming.

Emirati Youth Ambassadors: Bringing the UAE Pavilion to Life At the heart of the UAE Pavilion are the Emirati Youth Ambassadors, proudly carrying the spirit of the nation and bringing its story to life on the global stage. Of the 46 Youth Ambassadors at Expo 2025 Osaka, 24 are Emirati, guiding guests through the UAE’s innovations, heritage, and global partnerships. Alongside their 20 Japanese and two Japan-based peers, and fluent in seven languages - Arabic, Japanese, English, Korean, Tagalog, French and Mandarin - they transform every visit into a moment of genuine connection and discovery. Together, this passionate team embodies the values of openness, ambition, and partnership that define the UAE.

WAM