Expo Concludes: Transform Philosophy, Achievements into Legacy for the Future

Editorial

16:43 JST, October 13, 2025

The 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo must have sent a valuable message to the world at a time of deepening division. People from many countries and regions gathered and interacted during the Expo, and it is important to pass on what was achieved in these interactions to the next generation.

The Expo was to conclude Monday, with 158 countries and regions having participated under the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives.” With more than 25 million visitors over a six-month period, the operating surplus from the event is estimated to reach as much as ¥28 billion.

Sales of advance tickets were sluggish before the opening, due to the complexity of the reservation process and insufficient information about the exhibits. After the Expo began, however, visitors increased day by day, thanks to media coverage and people’s social media posts introducing the pavilions and the symbolic Grand Ring, conveying how impressive they were.

Many people repeatedly visited the Expo, and merchandise sold well, including items featuring the official character Myaku-Myaku. Perhaps this was because visitors could enjoy using their five senses to experience future technologies and diverse cultures firsthand.

The Italy Pavilion was one such highlight. It drew attention with its lavish exhibits, including a sculpture by Michelangelo. A staff member in charge said that even with the importance of artificial intelligence and digital technology, he felt the need to focus on tangible, real things as well.

It was also significant that the Expo served as an opportunity to deepen thoughts on war and peace.

Ukraine screened videos showing life under the war, and a woman who fled to Japan following Russia’s invasion served as a guide. A member of Nihon Hidankyo (the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations) also gave a lecture.

However, challenges remained in operating the event. Long lines were the norm, falling far short of the initially envisioned line-free Expo. In August, a subway malfunction left more than 30,000 people unable to return home, forcing many to spend the night inside the Expo venue.

The government plans to share the operational expertise and lessons learned from the Expo with Saudi Arabia, which will host the 2030 event in Riyadh. It is hoped they will lead to safer and more sophisticated expo management.

The focus now shifts to how to use the Osaka-Kansai Expo site after the event closes. A casino facility is under construction north of the venue, but this seems far from the Expo’s ideal of addressing global issues facing humankind, with an eye toward the future. One can only feel that something is not quite right.

The Osaka prefectural and city governments, which will consider how to utilize the site going forward, should devise plans appropriate for the legacy of the Expo.

During the event, active discussions on investment and development took place between participating countries and Japanese companies. It is hoped that these discussions will be realized.

Many children must have been thrilled by scientific technologies such as the iPS heart and the flying cars. A society must be built in which children can thrive with dreams and hopes for the future.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 13, 2025)