Crown Prince Akishino Made Kansai Expo Honorary President

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:43 JST, April 14, 2023

Crown Prince Akishino has been appointed honorary president of the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo, the Imperial Household Agency announced Thursday.

His term of office began on the day — just two years before the start of the event — and will run through Oct. 13, 2025, the day when the event ends. He assumed the post at the request of the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition.

The Emperor Emeritus served as honorary president for the 1970 Osaka Expo, and the Emperor did the same for the 2005 Aichi Expo. They were both crown prince at the time.