Japan first hosted its EXPO in 1970 in Osaka. It coincided with the remarkable economic rise of Japan becoming the world’s number two economic power. It was an appropriate time to show off the country to the world as well as to its own people. “Progress and Harmony for Mankind” was the theme of the EXPO. Incidentally, the US pavilion’s moon rock was a particularly eye-catching event.

    The 1970 Osaka EXPO (the photo by Takato marui)

The second EXPO in 2025 will be held again in Osaka, but seems to be less attractive than the first one. The Osaka EXPO organizers have now managed to have more than 90 countries and territories participating. So, the EXPO itself will be held as scheduled; but the organizers are still worried about the poor advance ticket sales. We would like to elaborate on these developments, but before that, let me inform you that Japan first participated in the EXPO more than 150 years ago; it was the 1867 Paris EXPO. What prompted Japan to participate in it then and were there any outcomes?

Japan opened its doors to the west in 1854 by signing a treaty with the US, after nearly three centuries of isolation. At that time, Japan was ruled by the Tokugawa shogunate, but in its last days. Trade with great powers flourished: from Japan’s export of raw silk, tea, craftworks and more, to the import of weapons, steam engines, war ships, western technologies in general among many others.

France under Napoleon III was eager to expand its trade and influence to Japan. Leon Roches was France’s first representative in Japan and he managed to assist the shogunate particularly with the building of Japan’s ironworks, shipyards, and sending a military mission to train its soldiers.

Seeing the success of the first EXPO in London in 1862, France decided to hold the second EXPO in Paris in 1867. With the strong request of Roches to participate in it, Japan concurred not only to show the country to the world but also to let them know who was ruling Japan. The shogunate dispatched its mission consisting of twenty-five members headed by Tokugawa Akitake, a young brother of the Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu. Included were some to stay and study western technologies in Europe. What did Japan display in Paris? These were mainly Japanese art crafts such as ukiyo-e, porcelain, ivory crafts, bronze ware and more. Interesting enough, a tea house was built at the site, where geisha girls served some refreshments. In such a way, the EXPO ushered in the so called “Japanism” to the Europeans.    

The venue of the 1867 Paris EXPO   

The Japan and China pavilion

          The Japanese mission, Tokugawa Akitake is in the center seated.

After the EXPO, Tokugawa Akitake paid visits to European capitals as part of his plan to study their cultures. However, a political sea of change took place back in Japan. In January, 1868, the Shogunate abruptly returned sovereignty to the emperor and a war between forces loyal to the emperor and the Tokugawa clan broke out a few months later, resulting in a victory for the former. So, the emperor became the ruler of Japan. This prompted the return of Tokugawa Akitake in 1869. Incidentally, Tokugawa Akitake managed to go back to France to study from 1876 to 1881.

Now turning to the 2025 EXPO Osaka, which will be held from April to October, 2025. The venue is located on a man-made island. The theme of the EXPO is “Designing Future Society for Our Lives.” According to the organizers it will provide;   “A space where 8 billion people from around the world will not only view exhibits but will co-create our future society.”“A place where the world’s knowledge such as cutting-edge technology will be brought together, used to create new ideas, and shared, all to help resolve global issues facing mankind.”You can visit the website of the 2025 EXPO Osaka:https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/

I hope that this EXPO will contribute something to future society; particularly offering impetus for the next EXPO in 2030 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.      

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