Next-Gen Tech Set to Shape Legacy of Osaka Expo, as Focus Shifts to Real-World Use

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:16 JST, October 14, 2025

With the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo having closed on Monday, attention now turns to how next-generation technologies displayed at the event will be introduced into the real world.

Private pavilions showcasing companies’ latest innovations held their own closing ceremonies on Monday, and all on-site demonstrations of advanced technologies, such as flying cars, have now concluded.

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Pasona Group Inc. held a commemorative closing ceremony in front of its pavilion on Monday evening, featuring dance and taiko drum performances. Its iPS heart exhibit had proved popular, attracting more than 2 million visitors during the Expo.

Pasona plans to relocate its own pavilion and that of the Netherlands to Awaji Island in Hyogo Prefecture, where it has moved some of its core corporate functions, with the goal of reopening them in about a year.

“We want to preserve what was achieved at the Expo as a lasting legacy,” said Chairman Hirotaka Wakamoto.

At the pavilion of Panasonic Holdings Corp., children were gifted a hands-on experimental device shaped like a crystal. “We were able to express our desire for change benefiting both the economy and sustainability,” said Pavilion Director Michiko Ogawa.

The Expo featured 13 pavilions from domestic companies and organizations, and four more that were publicly funded, including the government’s Japan Pavilion. These domestic pavilions showcased cutting-edge technologies in areas like decarbonization and health care.

New tech trialed

ANA Holdings Inc. and Joby Aviation Inc., a U.S.-based company, on Monday demonstrated use of a flying car, with vehicles of this sort expected to play a major role in the future of transportation.

The two firms reportedly demonstrated the flying car on 11 days, and cumulative flight time totaled about four hours. “Being able to fly safely and on schedule for such a long period is a significant step toward practical use,” said Yasuyuki Kohaya of Joby Aviation.

The Expo also featured tours using an “AI suitcase” — a robot that autonomously guides visually impaired people. More than 4,500 people trialed the device during the Expo, and the data and feedback collected from participants will be used for further development.

Initially, the device will be used in places such as airports and commercial facilities.

“We were able to conduct experiments for six months at the venue, where there was high foot traffic, and that significantly increased public awareness of the device,” said Chieko Asakawa, director of the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, which developed the device.

Merchandise sales

Before the Expo opened, there were concerns the event could run a deficit. However, it is now projected to make a ¥23 billion to ¥28 billion profit.

The strong sales of merchandise featuring the official mascot, Myaku-Myaku, are viewed as a major reason for the surplus. Official stores at the venue stayed crowded into the final day.

On Monday, hundreds of people lined up before the 9 a.m. opening of one of the shops, operated by Kintetsu Department Store.

“I’ve spent between ¥300,000 and ¥400,000 on Expo merch so far, but there are some things I wasn’t able to buy. I want to buy them at stores outside the venue after the Expo closes,” said a 43-year-old company employee from Kyoto.

Due to Myaku-Myaku’s popularity, 14 official stores outside the venue across five prefectures — Tokyo, Aichi, Gifu, Osaka and Hyogo — are set to remain open after the closing ceremony.