Japan is actively preparing for Expo 2025 Osaka, which will be held from April 13 to October 13, 2025 on Yumeshima Island and is expected to host 28.2 million visitors. The theme of the Expo is “Designing a Future Society for Our Lives.” Its official goals are to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals and to achieve Japan’s national strategy “Society 5.0” to develop a human-centered society that achieves economic progress and solves social problems through the implementation of digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, big data, and more.

The preparations for the World Expo 2025 were discussed at the International Meeting on January 15–16, 2025 in Himeji, Japan, which was attended by representatives of international organizations and more than 100 countries, including Turkmenistan. The results of the meeting were summed up at a press conference by Secretary General of the Japan Association of the Osaka World Expo, Hiroyuki Ishige, and Secretary General of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), Dimitri Kerkentzes. The BIE Secretary emphasized the importance of the Expo as an opportunity for countries to come together in the name of dialogue and cooperation, to confront the most pressing global issues together, and to define a common vision for the future. According to Kerkentzes, this event takes on even greater significance in today's turbulent global scenario: 160 countries will come together in a non-conflict context to present their latest achievements in innovation and technology and their vision of the future society for our lives.

Secretary-General of the Japan Exhibition Association Hiroyuki Ishige said that work at the Yumeshima site was proceeding apace and organisers were confident they would be able to welcome visitors on April 13. He said that more than 7 million advance tickets had been sold to date, but they had been purchased mostly by companies and progress was needed in communicating the themes, content and program of the World Expo to the public.

Expo 2025 will feature a wide range of participating pavilions, including international pavilions from 158 countries, including Turkmenistan. National Day of Turkmenistan at Expo 2025 Osaka is scheduled for April 14, the day after the Expo opens.

The Osaka 2025 Universal Expo presents an ambitious program to the public: it will be a window through which to see, experience and imagine the society of the future, and a springboard for implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It will also be an opportunity for Japan to take another step forward in terms of society, technology and humanity together with the next generation of young people, leaving a legacy of developing new thinkers, achievers and leaders for the future.

The Expo will be a platform for new technological solutions: The Smart Mobility Expo will showcase flying cars, robotics, advanced personal mobility and zero-emission transport. The Virtual Expo will allow visitors to visit the Expo virtually from anywhere in the world. As part of the Digital Expo, the Universal Expo will showcase the latest advances in digital technology: from personal assistants for visitors to machine translation systems and much more. The Art Expo will consist of a series of art installations scattered throughout the Expo area, including a water show in Water Square and an art installation in the Forest of Tranquility. The Green Expo will showcase the latest cutting-edge green technologies that will lead the world to a low-carbon future. Finally, the Future Life Expo will allow visitors to immerse themselves in the world of the future and see how we might live, work, eat, move and play in the cities of the future.

During the six months of the Expo, a wide range of events will be held to inform, entertain and educate visitors. These events will be a combination of official events, events by the organizers and public participation activities. The Theme Weeks program, drawing on the presence of participating countries and visitors from around the world, will bring together international knowledge, experience and cooperation to address global challenges and find solutions through dialogue. Eight Theme Weeks will be held on the following themes: Co-creating Future Cultures; The Future of Community and Mobility; Life’s Necessities: Food, Clothing and Shelter; Health and Well-Being, Learning and Play; Peace, Human Security and Dignity; The Future of Earth and Biodiversity; SDG+: Beyond Future Society for Life.

ORIENT