World Expo 2025 opens in Osaka with 160 nations showcasing hope and innovation

From Mars meteorites to drone tech, World Expo 2025 in Osaka blends cutting-edge science with cultural unity amid global tensions.

Visitors attend the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka, Kansai, Japan, on April 13, 2025. Photo by David Mareuil/Anadolu

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

World Expo 2025 opens in Osaka as 160 participating countries and regions present their visions of the future through exhibitions of technology, culture, food, and sustainability. The event, running through mid-October, offers more than just impressive architecture and scientific marvels—it provides a hopeful message of global unity during an era marked by division and uncertainty.

Visitors arriving at Osaka’s Yumeshima Island are welcomed by the sprawling wooden Grand Ring, the largest timber structure in the world. Surrounding it are national pavilions representing countries from across the globe, each telling its own story of innovation, resilience, and cultural pride. Designed by renowned architect Sou Fujimoto, the Grand Ring sets the tone for Expo 2025, inviting visitors into a space meant for sharing ideas and forging connections.

An aerial view shows the "Grand Ring" and expo site on Yumeshima Island on the opening day of the six-month 2025 Osaka Expo in Osaka on April 13, 2025. Photo by Jiji Press/AFP

"This Expo is a precious opportunity where so many different cultures and countries come together in one place to create diversity and unity," Fujimoto said. The structure itself symbolizes this ethos, acting as a bridge between past traditions and future possibilities.

An exhibition of science, technology, and the human spirit

Among the standout displays at World Expo 2025 is a meteorite from Mars, an artificial heart made from stem cells that beats like the real thing, and drone-like flying vehicles that hint at the transportation of tomorrow. Also drawing attention is the U.S. pavilion, themed "America the Beautiful," which focuses not on politics but rather on natural landscapes, AI, and outer space. A simulated rocket launch show uses dry-ice blasters to immerse visitors in a space odyssey experience.

Just a short walk away, the Chinese pavilion offers a different vision of the future with a calligraphy-inspired structure that houses lunar samples collected by its Chang’e missions. Meanwhile, Switzerland's bauble-shaped building promotes sustainability with one of the smallest ecological footprints at the event.

An android is showcased in the Signature Pavilion: Future of Life during the media preview ahead of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, on April 9, 2025, in Osaka. Photo by Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images

In line with this year’s Expo theme of “Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” technological marvels are grounded in real-world applications. The artificial heart exhibit, developed using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS), is being displayed publicly for the first time. "It has an actual pulse," said Byron Russel of the Pasona Group, which manages the pavilion.

A message of peace amid global strife

World Expo 2025 opens in Osaka at a time when international relations are tense, and some exhibits have taken on deeply political undertones. Ukraine’s pavilion, absent Russia, features a banner stating “Not for sale,” echoing the nation’s ongoing resistance against invasion. Ukrainian deputy minister of economy Tatiana Berezhna emphasized the message behind their participation: “We are the ones who create, not the ones who destroy.”

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba acknowledged the challenges of the current global landscape during the Expo’s opening ceremony. “Through Expo, we would like to restore a sense of unity in the world once again,” he stated.

The Palestine pavilion is seen on the opening day of the six-month 2025 Osaka Expo in Osaka, Japan, on April 13, 2025. Photo by Philip Fong/AFP

Cultural quirks and delightful oddities

Beyond the heavy themes, Expo 2025 also offers light-hearted moments and cultural curiosities. Visitors can witness 32 sculptures of Hello Kitty dressed as different types of algae, a creative way to highlight the plant’s many industrial and environmental uses. There’s also a so-called “human washing machine,” which interprets heartbeats and projects visual art based on the bather’s emotional state.

For food lovers, the world’s longest sushi conveyor belt offers a culinary journey through Japanese cuisine. And for those needing a break from exploring, the Grand Ring’s “skywalk” provides sweeping views of the venue, enhanced by Osaka’s ocean breeze.

Challenges behind the celebration

Despite the energy on display, World Expo 2025 is not without its critics. The Japanese public’s enthusiasm has been lukewarm, according to polls. The Expo’s budget ran 27 percent over initial estimates, drawing concerns about fiscal responsibility.

Only 12.5 percent of the massive Grand Ring structure is planned to be reused after the event ends in October. The rest will be dismantled to clear space for a casino resort, raising questions about sustainability and long-term value.

Visitors walk beneath the Grand Roof (Ring), the symbol of the venue, on the opening day of World Expo 2025 Osaka at Yumeshima on April 13, 2025, in Osaka, Japan. Photo by Zhou You/VCG

So far, 8.7 million advance tickets have been sold—short of the pre-sale target of 14 million. The event is competing with Japan’s booming tourism market, which has driven hotel prices sky-high and filled accommodations in and around Osaka and Kyoto.

Revisiting a historic site with high hopes

World Expo 2025 marks a return to the spotlight for Osaka, which last hosted the World Expo in 1970. That event, held during Japan’s postwar economic boom, welcomed 64 million people and helped solidify Japan’s global reputation for technological innovation. Back then, Japan stood as a beacon of futuristic living.

A file photo taken on September 5, 1970, shows the site of the World Exposition in Suita, Osaka Prefecture. (c) Kyodo/Getty Images

Fifty-five years later, Japan finds itself in a different position—still influential but no longer the global trendsetter it once was. Nevertheless, this Expo is seen by its organizers as a moment to reconnect with the international community, to foster creative solutions, and to remind people that collaboration can still be a driving force for progress.

Osaka Expo organizers describe their mission as one to “restore much-needed connections” in a fragmented world. They hope that the blend of advanced technology, cultural sharing, and open dialogue will lead to “a better tomorrow.”

Voices from the ground

For attendees like Emiko Sakamoto, a local resident who visited the 1970 Expo and returned this year, the event holds personal and symbolic significance. “I think the Expo is meaningful,” she said. “People will think about peace after visiting the venue.”

That sentiment is echoed throughout the event, from major exhibits down to the intricate details of each pavilion. Whether through a heartbeat-powered art display or a fragment from another planet, World Expo 2025 opens in Osaka as a testament to human creativity, cooperation, and hope.

As the world watches and thousands walk through the gates each day, Osaka reminds us of the shared dreams that make global events like these more than just spectacles—they become stories of resilience, imagination, and unity.