Expo 2025
Expo 2025 was a World Expo organized and sanctioned by the Bureau International des Expositions, which was held in Osaka, Japan. It was open for six months, from 13 April to 13 October 2025. This was the second time that Osaka Prefecture has hosted a World Expo, having previously hosted Expo 1970 in Suita. Expo 2025 marked the return to the traditional 5-year scheduling cycle after the 2020 edition in Dubai was delayed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The total visitor count was 29,017,924.
Bidding, selection and ratification of Expo city
Ratification
The registration dossier for Japan's expo containing a detailed plan with proposed operational dates and legacy plans was submitted to the BIE for review.Candidates
On 22 November 2016, France submitted to the BIE its candidacy to host World Expo 2025. This first submission launched the bidding process for this Expo by opening the candidate list. All other countries wishing to organize World Expo 2025 had until 22 May 2017 to submit their own bids, after which the project examination phase started.- Baku, Azerbaijan – The Azerbaijani capital entered its candidacy before the deadline under the theme "Developing Human Capital, Building a Better Future".
- Osaka, Japan – Osaka made its official bid for the Expo on 24 April 2017 with the theme "Designing Future Society for Our Lives".
- Yekaterinburg, Russia – The Russian city entered its candidacy on 22 May 2017 under the theme "Changing the World: Innovations and Better Life for Future Generations".
Withdrawn candidates
- Paris, France – France, which had been the first to declare its candidacy under the theme "Sharing our Knowledge, Caring for our Planet," withdrew its candidacy on 21 January 2018 due to financial concerns and the successful bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Results
| City | Nation | Round 1 | Round 2 |
| Osaka | 85 | 92 | |
| Yekaterinburg | 48 | 61 | |
| Baku | 23 | - |
Themes
The theme for the expo was "Designing Future Society for Our Lives", with sub-themes of "Saving Lives", "Empowering Lives" and "Connecting Lives". The theme "Saving Lives" included infant vaccinations, sanitation, lifestyle and extending lifespans. The concept was "People's Living Lab".Purpose
The Expo 2025 was held with the aim of achieving a society in which the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals —17 sustainable development goals set out at the United Nations Summit on Sustainable Development held at the UN Headquarters, New York City in September 2015—have been achieved.Furthermore, it aimed to head towards realizing Japan's national strategy: Society 5.0, which is a society, after the information society, industrial society, agrarian society, and hunter-gatherer society before it, that brings prosperity to people by making the most of ICT and integrating cyberspace and physical space.
Site
The main site of Expo 2025 was a 155 hectare area located in Yumeshima Island, Konohana-ku, Osaka. The Grand Ring was designed by the Japanese Architect Sou Fujimoto. Within the ring were 3 thematic districts dedicated to the sub-themes of Expo 2025 – Connecting, Empowering, and Saving Lives. The infrastructure of the site was built by Obayashi Corporation, Shimizu Corporation, and Takenaka Corporation and was recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world's largest wooden architectural structure with a certified area of 61,035.55 m2.Pavilion World
An area where facilities such as the pavilions, the main draw of the Expo, were gathered. Pavilion World had a ring-shaped main street and ring roof. The large roof provided shade and rain protection and also served as an observation corridor by installing an aerial corridor on the roof. In September 2021, the Osaka Wood Association proposed that the ring be constructed with domestic wood. In addition, a "Silent Forest" was placed in the center of the large roof and pavilions as a space for visitors to relax.Water World
A relaxation area that utilized the waterscape on the south side of the venue, it was a place that symbolized the world's first maritime Expo. In addition to having food and beverage facilities facing the waterfront, it was used as a stage for water events such as the "Air and Water Spectacular Show". In the evening, from the top of the large roof ring, visitors could watch the sun setting over the Seto Inland Sea, which had been praised as a spectacular sight since ancient times.Green World
A green area facing the sea on the west side of the venue, it was an open, green space. It had an outdoor event plaza, a best practice area, and a mobility experience where visitors could try out advanced mobility. It also had a bus terminal and a western gate.Marketing
Logo
The logo mark based on the concept of "cells" was designed by Team Inari in Osaka and Landor Associates from San Francisco, United States. It was announced on 25 August 2020, it became a hot topic on the Internet, called "The Shine of Life".Mascot
Myaku-Myaku, was the mascot and representing Expo 2025, it was designed by picture book and children's book illustrator and named through a public contest by entrants Miyuu Kawakatsu and Hinata Sakuda in early 2022.After a strict selection process from 33,197 submissions, it was selected on the morning of 18 July 2022, and announced at a commemorative event held on the same day. That day marked the 1,000-day countdown before the opening. Then-Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida explained that the nickname is imbued with the meaning of inheriting history, tradition, culture, and connections with the world.
Commemorative coins
In April 2023, the Japanese Ministry of Finance announced that it would issue coins to commemorate the 2025 World Exposition.In September 2024, the Ministry of Finance announced that it would issue gold coins, silver coins, and coins to commemorate the 2025 World Expo. This would be the first time that the gold coins and coins have been issued as Expo 2025 commemorative coins. The silver coin would be issued for the third time. The application period would be around three weeks from March 6, 2025, and the coins would be sold by mail order through the Mint Bureau.
Transport
The venue for the Expo 2025 was Yumeshima, an artificial island in Osaka Bay. As this was the first Expo to be held on an island, visitors needed to land on Yumeshima. To get to Yumeshima, visitors needed to use public transport, such as trains, shuttle buses, express buses, airport buses, bicycles, boats, and taxis. As private cars are prohibited from the island in principle, except for those using the handicapped parking lot, visitors needed to park in a nearby P&R parking lot and then take a shuttle bus to the island.In addition, this Expo, based on the concept of a "testing ground for future society," hosted a "Future Society Showcase Project" where visitors could experience life in the near future. As part of this, the transportation to the venue would also feature futuristic mobility equipped with cutting-edge technology, such as electric buses that could be powered while driving and hydrogen fuel cell ships.
Before the opening, it was estimated that of the maximum 227,000 visitors per day, 133,000 would use Yumeshima Station on the Osaka Metro Chuo Line. According to estimates by the Expo Association, in the first month after the opening, the average number of visitors per day was 104,000, lower than the expected 150,000, but 76.6% of visitors used Yumeshima Station, which does not require reservations. This was mainly due to the fact that the expensive P&R was used by only 5.2% of visitors.
A 3.2 km extension of the Osaka Metro Chuo Line was constructed from its former terminus at Cosmosquare Station using the Yumesaki Tunnel to Yumeshima Station, which opened on 19 January 2025.
In addition, there are many shuttle bus routes to the Expo site.
Opening and closing ceremonies
Prior to Expo 2025, around 9.69 million advance tickets were sold. A rehearsal for Expo 2025 was conducted from 4 to 6 April, a week before the opening. About 98,000 people attended, including those from exhibiting companies and Osaka residents and citizens selected through advance applications and lottery. A media preview was hosted on 9 April. The dedication ceremony for Expo 2025 took place on 12 April 2025 at the EXPO Hall "Shine Hut" and the EXPO National Day Hall "Ray Garden". The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, Crown Prince Akishino, and 1,300 representatives of participating nations. The theme of the opening ceremony was "Re-Connect: Circulate, Resonate, Return, Connect". After Naruhito gave an opening address, Akishino, Honorary President of the Expo, performed an "opening action" by placing his hand over the activation panel to open the Expo. Expo 2025 officially opened the following day, 13 April. At the time of the opening, eight foreign nations' pavilions were incomplete.The closing ceremony was held on 13 October 2025 in the presence of invited guests and theme was "For the Futures". The flag of the Bureau International des Expositions was handed over to Saudi Arabia, the host country of Expo 2030, the next world expo. Crown Prince Akishino and Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura gave speeches at the closing ceremony. The mascot was removed on October 14, the day after the Expo closed, Miyakumyaku said, "The Expo is over. It was fun meeting people from all over the world," to which then-Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba replied, "it was fun talking to people from all over the world," enjoying their final conversation. The Prime Minister said, "I think that because of Miyakumyaku, we were able to unite our hearts. Miyakumyaku will continue its activities even after the Expo closes.
Other performances at the end of the closing ceremony included performances by Sho Sakurai, Yumiko Udo, and dance performer Aoitsuki, and a speech of thanks was given by Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura. Just like in his opening ceremony speech, Governor Yoshimura used the word "thank you" eight times to express his gratitude to the staff and volunteers.