Osaka, Japan will host the Expo 2025. Preparations are now underway for the huge global event.
Expo 2025 will take place over 6 months, from April 13 until October 13, 2025.
This is the third time Osaka, which is in the Kansai region of Honshu, will host the World Expo; it previously held the exhibition in 1970 and Expo 1990.
Find out everything we know so far about Expo 25 on this page. Including the theme, location, tickets, and more.
What Is a World Expo?
World Expos, officially International Registered Exhibitions, are global events organized by the Bureau International des Expositions.
The Expo takes place every 5 years. Expo 2020, hosted by Dubai, was pushed back to 2022 due to COVID-19.
They are global gatherings of nations with the aim of finding solutions to current challenges. World Expos act as a meeting point for governments, companies, organizations, and individuals. They promote education and progress through international cooperation.
When Is Osaka Expo 2025?
The World Expo in Osaka will take place over 6 months (184 days) in 2025. The event will open on April 13, 2025 and close on October 13, 2025.
World Expos are unrivaled international events in terms of their duration. Lasting half a year, millions of visitors from across the world will get the opportunity to participate.
Approximately 28 million visitors are expected during the 6-month exhibition.
What Is the Theme of Expo 2025 in Osaka
The Expo 2025 theme is Designing Future Society for Our Lives. It aims to make people think about how they want to live and will promote the creation of sustainable societies.
The Osaka World Expo theme has been selected in response to ongoing social changes. The development of technology such as AI and biotechnology will have a significant impact on humankind, including increasing life expectancy.
The theme has also been shaped by COVID-19. The global pandemic has led to changes in people’s values and lifestyles and has left the world facing new challenges. Expo 2025 is an opportunity for the world to come together and discuss the theme of ‘life’.
Designing Future Society for Our Lives
Designing Future Society for Our Lives will have 3 subthemes:
- Connecting Lives
- Empowering Lives
- Saving Lives.
Connecting Lives
This sub-theme focuses on building communities and engagement. Advanced communications through information technology and data-driven societies are some of the areas that will be explored.
Empowering Lives
Improving the lives of individuals and helping them reach their potential is the focus of this sub-theme. Topics include diet and lifestyle, and the use of AI and robotics.
Saving Lives
The sub-theme of Saving Lives focuses on protecting life. It will address issues such as the prevention of infectious diseases and disaster reduction.
People’s Living Lab Concept
The concept of the 2025 event is ‘People’s Living Lab’. This laboratory for a future society will be:
- A space for people from around the world to view exhibits and co-create future society
- An online platform for sharing challenges and solutions
- A place to bring together knowledge, share ideas, and help resolve global issues
What Are the Goals of Expo 2025 in Osaka?
The main goals of Osaka’s World Expo are to create a society that achieves the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out by the United Nations.
It also aims to achieve Japan’s national strategy 5.0.
There are 17 specific targets for the Osaka exhibition:
- No Poverty
- Zero hunger
- Good health and wellbeing
- Quality education
- Gender equality
- Clean water and sanitation
- Affordable and clean energy
- Decent work and economic growth
- Industry, innovation, and infrastructure
- Reduced inequality
- Sustainable cities and communities
- Responsible consumption and production
- Climate action
- Life below water
- Life on land
- Peace, just, and strong institutions
- Partnership for achieving goals
Where in Osaka is Expo 2025?
Osaka’s Expo site is in Yumeshima, an artificial island built on the waterfront.
Yumeshima provides panoramic views of Osaka Bay.
According to Sou Fujimoto, the architect in charge of developing the Expo 2025 Masterplan design:
“As the location is in the middle of Osaka Bay, no tall structures are around, offering a clear view of the sky in a pure circle.”
The Expo 2025 Site
The Expo site has an area of 1.55 km2. It will be surrounded by a circular structure made of timber, drawing inspiration from Japan’s historical wood construction traditions. Visitors will be able to access the roof and walk around the site.
Architect Sou Fujimoto described it thus:
“On the rooftop, visitors can go up and experience a lifted surface that resembles a bank, allowing them to appreciate the sky above and feel completely immersed in the environment.”
The central area will feature the pavilions of various countries and private sectors. Events will be held on the waterfront and there will be an open space for outdoor events.
The site is being designed to promote diversity and unity. It will be a place to link people and cultures from across the world.
How to get to the Expo 2025 site in Osaka
Transportation will be adapted to make it easy to reach Yumeshima island for the event. The plan is to make the site accessible from Osaka by subway.
A new metro station is being built to connect the site to Osaka’s underground rail system. The station is to be called “Yumeshima”.
It will connect to Cosmosquare Station on the Chuo Subway Line, via the new Hokko Technoport Line, currently under construction.
The city of Osaka is easily reached from Tokyo by train. It is also well-connected to Kyoto and several other Japanese cities.
Train passengers can get around Osaka with the Japan Rail Pass. The Osaka Metro Chuo Line will be extended as far as Yumeshima for the Expo.
There will also be shuttle buses to the site from the main bus stations.
Expo 2025 Logo and Mascot
A competition was held to design the logo for Expo 2025. The jury met in August 2020 to select the best logo out of more than 5,000 entries.
The selected logo is an irregular ring of red circles. The logo’s creator, Shimada Tamotu, explained that the circles represent living cells, or a chain of DNA, tying it to the Expo 2025 theme.
The Expo 2025 mascot has now also been revealed. As Osaka is sometimes referred to as Japan’s City of Water, the selected mascot is a shapeshifter that can change its shape, like water. The logo is incorporated as the mascot’s face.
How to Get tickets for Expo 2025
You can now get your admission tickets for Expo 2025 in Osaka in the following ways:
- The official ticket sales website
- Travel agencies
The e-tickets available online can be bought with your smartphone or computer.
You must follow these steps:
- Register for your Expo ID
- Choose your type and number of tickets
- Pay for the tickets
- Reserve admission date
- Book events, pavilions, etc. that you plan to attend
Anyone interested in attending should stay up to date with the latest updates.
Expo 2025 Participants
Many countries have registered to participate in the Expo 2025 in Osaka. Around 150 nations are expected, as well as the following international organizations:
- African Union
- ASEAN
- European Union
- International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
- International Solar Alliance
- International Science and Technology Center
- ITER
- Pacific Islands Forum
- United Nations
56 countries and regions are planning pavilions for the Expo, including:
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Brazil
- Canada
- China
- Czech Republic
- Germany
- Italy
- Japan
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- Oman
- Poland
- Saudi Arabia
- Slovakia
- South Korea
- Spain
- Switzerland
- Nordic Pavilion (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)
For example, the Netherlands pavilion focuses on the theme “Common Ground: creating a new dawn together.” It is designed in the shape of an illuminated sphere to symbolize clean energy and sustainability, as well as the rising sun.