WORLD EXPO 2025 NEWS「KIZUNA －絆－News letter」“Kizuna” is the Japanese word for “bond.”

Issued July 31, 2024, Vol.15

The 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting Welcome Reception Hosted by Chief Cabinet Secretary Mr. Hayashi
and Dr. Hayashi that was held in Japan served as an opportunity for us, together with MYAKU-MYAKU, todeepen our bonds with leaders and other stakeholders from many participating countries. I express mygratitude to all those who are involved in preparations for the Expo around the world. Let’s make it an Expo inwhich we can learn about the culture and history of countries and regions we did not know about, deepen ourmutual understanding, and share our excitement.
JIMI Hanako Minister for the World Exposition 2025

Mr. Surangel S. WHIPPS, Jr., President Dr. Hilda C. Heine, President of the Mr. David ADEANG, Presidentof the Republic of Palau and Mrs. Whipps. Republic of the Marshall Islandsof the Republic of Nauru

Mr. Wesley W. Simina, President ofthe Federated States of Micronesia

HAYASHI Yoshimasa Chief Cabinet Secretary
Mr. Sitiveni Ligamamada RABUKA, Prime Minister of the Republic of Fiji

Let’s enliventhe Expo
together!
Mr. Charlot SALWAI Tabimasmas, Prime
Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu
1.
2.

Feleti Penitala TEO, Prime
Minister of Tuvalu【The week’s report】

Overseas Pavilions Construction Status
July 24: The Philippines holds a pavilion unveiling event

Last week’s main events / Schedule for this week andbeyond
July 24: Identity verification method for entry ticket
purchases changed
July 26: The Mayoral Alliance for Expo 2025 holds an
Expo venue inspection tour
July 27: Producer Shinichi Fukuoka hosts a book club

July 28: Producer Sachiko Nakajima hosts a talk event forthe Exploring Life Meeting
July 26: Takenaka Corporation announces its
sponsorship of the “Foresting Architecture”
July 26: Collaboration product of MYAKU-MYAKU andYomiuri TV’s Shinoby released
July 29: 4th Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan Budget
Execution Monitoring Committee held
3. Sales / Applications
Tickets sold: 3,561,635 (as of July 24)

Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan Weekly Report (July 23 – July 29)~ 257 days to go！

2024.7.30

1. Official Participants- July 24; The Philippines held a pavilion concept presentation in Osaka, following thepresentation held in Manila last week. The pavilion will express diversity and humanconnections using traditional Philippine textiles. The exterior of the pavilion will be
designed to resemble rattan crafts, and over 200 hand-woven items will be on display.

https://www.facebook.com/bieparis/?locale=ja_JP

Status of official participants as of July 25- Of 161 countries and 9 international organisations participations:Those with official participation agreements:
119 countries and 4 international organisations
Individual pavilions (Type A and Type X) :52 countries (47 Type A, 5 Type X)
Those with construction partners secured: 43 countries
Those who have started construction:
37 countries
Independent pavilions provided by the Association (Type B) :Shared pavilions provided by the Association (Type C) :1

17 countries
92 countries

2．Reports from the past week and plans for the upcoming week
- July 24; To simplify Expo ID registration, the Association is now adopting a one-time
password authentication, making it easier to verify identity. A one-time password is sent tothe email address registered to the Expo ID.

Register ID

Buy ticket

Reserve date & time

Reserve pavilionEnjoy visit

https://www.expo2025.or.jp/news/news-20240724-01/- July 26; The Expo Mayors Union (Chairman: Mr Hirofumi Sawai, Mayor of Matsubara,Osaka Prefecture), visited the Expo site. Of the 664 local governments from all over Japan,
around 100 heads of municipalities participated, climbed the Grand Ring and taking in theviews of pavilions under construction. Afterwards, the members held an exchange meetingwith ambassadors and consuls general from 20 participation countries at the Domyouji
Tenmangu Shrine in Fujiidera, Osaka Prefecture. Minister Hanako Jimi and signaturepavilion Producer Sachiko Nakajima also participated.

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- July 27, A reading session was held in Kitakami, Iwate Prefecture, by biologist andsignature pavilion producer Prof Shinichi Fukuoka, whose pavilion will feature under thetheme "Dynamic Equilibrium of Life". Minister Hanako Jimi also participated the eventand read a picture book together with local high school students. Participants learned theimportance of life and nature while deepening their understanding of the Expo.

- July 28, Ms Sachiko Nakajima, producer of the signature pavilion "Playground of Life:
Jellyfish Pavilion," launched the Society for Thinking about Life and held the first talksession at the National Museum of Ethnology in Suita, Osaka Prefecture. Fellow signature
pavilion producer Prof Hiroshi Ishiguro and others also took stage.

https://www.expo2025.or.jp/overview/expo_pll_talks/posts/no_0112/

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- July 26; Takenaka Corporation, one of Japan’s largest construction companies, announced
that it will be sponsoring Foresting Architecture domes as a showcase project for the Expo.
The domes will feature biodegradable, light-transmitting cellulose acetate as structural
material and handmade washi paper and recycled plant materials for the exterior. The
concept is that of architecture of the future that "becomes a forest when it is no longer inuse." The domes will be used as a resting area in the venue.

https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/news/news-20240726-03/- July 26; The official character of the Expo, Myaku-Myaku, and the Yomiuri TV character
Shinobi have started collaboration, trying their hand at manzai (a Japanese comedy genre
performed by a duo) under the stage name Shinomyaku.
https://expo2025mlo.jp/news/531

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBX74zSRjFk

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- July 29; The 4th meeting of the Expo Budget Execution Monitoring Committee was heldat the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). The Association and the METI
briefed the committee on the costs of repurposing Type X and the reuse of the Grand Ring,as well as ticket sales promotion measures.

3. What's coming up this week
- July 31; Type B Pavilion will hand over to Mozambique- August 5 and 6; Information session for school officials

4.Ticket sales
Number of tickets sales: 3,561,635 as of July 24, 2024

5. Q&As1) Fake SNS account- There was news of fake Association social media accounts regarding grant disbursement.
What are the facts and how is the Association dealing with this matter?
i.

The Association discovered a large number of accounts impersonating the official X
account of the Expo, as well as posts falsely claiming to be from the Association
purporting to provide financial support. The Association immediately reported theincident to X and requested that the fake accounts be removed.

ii.

In addition, a warning was posted on the Association's official website and on the official
Expo X account on July 24..

iii.

No damage has been confirmed at this time.
https://www.expo2025.or.jp/news/news-20240724-03/

2) Lightning protection for the Grand Ring
- There have been reports that if lightning is expected around the venue, visitors will be
prevented from approaching the Grand Ring. Is this true?
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i.

In the event of a risk of lightning, measures will be taken to prevent visitors from climbing
onto the Grand Ring, and visitors will be guided inside the pavilion facilities or underneaththe ring to ensure their safety.

ii.

As for underneath the Grand Ring, lightning current will be safely conducted to the groundthrough down conductors from the lightning-receivers on the circumference of the ring,ensuring safety on a par with that of ordinary buildings.

iii.

The article initially mentioned incorrectly that, in addition to preventing people fromclimbing onto the Grand Ring upon risk of lightning, measures will also be taken to keepthem at a distance from the Ground Ring. The Association pointed out this error, and thearticle was revised to read that in the event of a risk of lightning, measure will be taken toprevent people from climbing onto the Grand Ring.

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