Hosting the 2025 World Expo is an opportunity to showcase Osaka and Kansai-based research and technological advancements geared toward taking head-on global issues, such as those that come with an aging society, Osaka Gov. Ichiro Matsui said in a recent exclusive interview with The Japan Times.
"One reason we chose to bid for the expo is because Japanese issues are also world issues. To find solutions to a rapidly aging society, you establish a target and gather diverse forms of knowledge that lead to innovation," said Matsui. "But you need a place to announce these solutions, and you have to set a target year for creating new things. With this in mind, we decided to pursue the 2025 World Expo in Osaka and the Kansai region."
The governor added he also wants to highlight the regions technologies in areas like water sanitation that can help the world meet the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals when world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, gather in Osaka next year for the Group of 20 (G-20) leaders' summit.