Business and Investment Opportunities through Expo 2025, Osaka, Kansai, Japan – Reception at the Embassy of Japan
2024/4/16
On 16 April, the Embassy of Japan in the UK and the Institute of Directors co-hosted a reception entitled Business and Investment Opportunities through Expo 2025, Osaka, Kansai, Japan, to mark the one-year countdown to the Expo.
The reception opened with speeches by Ambassador HAYASHI Hajime, Lord Offord of Garvel, Minister for Exports, and Mr Jon Geldart, Director General of the Institute of Directors. This was followed by videos messages from the Minister for the World Expo 2025, Ms Hanako Jimi, and the Governor of Osaka, Mr Hirofumi Yoshimura. The event also featured an appearance by “Myaku Myaku”, the Official Character for Expo 2025, making its first visit to the UK, an introduction to the UK Pavilion and a flying car model exhibition. Around 160 guests attended, including UK government officials, members of Parliament, Japanese and British business leaders, financial institutions and media representatives, availing themselves of an opportunity to promote Japan-UK business cooperation, investment in Japan and the chance to build personal networks.
In the welcome remarks, Ambassador Hayashi looked back on the history of the World Expo, which was first held in London in 1851 and has always been a flag-bearer of technology and innovation with the focus firmly on the future. Looking ahead to Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai, he introduced the Expo’s theme: “Designing Future Society for Our Lives” and the plan to turn Osaka into a “Testing Ground for Future Society”. He thanked the UK for its contributions to the Expo, including the construction of the UK Pavilion and the flying car being developed by a British company. He also expressed his strong hope for the Expo to be a great opportunity for Japan and the UK to strengthen their dynamic business partnership under the continuing circumstances of the deepening relations between the two countries.
The reception opened with speeches by Ambassador HAYASHI Hajime, Lord Offord of Garvel, Minister for Exports, and Mr Jon Geldart, Director General of the Institute of Directors. This was followed by videos messages from the Minister for the World Expo 2025, Ms Hanako Jimi, and the Governor of Osaka, Mr Hirofumi Yoshimura. The event also featured an appearance by “Myaku Myaku”, the Official Character for Expo 2025, making its first visit to the UK, an introduction to the UK Pavilion and a flying car model exhibition. Around 160 guests attended, including UK government officials, members of Parliament, Japanese and British business leaders, financial institutions and media representatives, availing themselves of an opportunity to promote Japan-UK business cooperation, investment in Japan and the chance to build personal networks.
In the welcome remarks, Ambassador Hayashi looked back on the history of the World Expo, which was first held in London in 1851 and has always been a flag-bearer of technology and innovation with the focus firmly on the future. Looking ahead to Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai, he introduced the Expo’s theme: “Designing Future Society for Our Lives” and the plan to turn Osaka into a “Testing Ground for Future Society”. He thanked the UK for its contributions to the Expo, including the construction of the UK Pavilion and the flying car being developed by a British company. He also expressed his strong hope for the Expo to be a great opportunity for Japan and the UK to strengthen their dynamic business partnership under the continuing circumstances of the deepening relations between the two countries.
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