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The Belgian pavilion by night. © BelExpo © Carré 7
At the World Expo in Osaka (Japan), Belgium showcases its expertise in the health sector: vaccines, digital twins, the circle of life, and medical robotics. Visitors eagerly take part in this event, in which our FPS plays an essential role.
The World Expo in Osaka (Japan) is expected to draw large crowds again through 13 October 2025. While the very first World Expo was already hosted in London in 1851, the formula remains as effective today as ever. These expos originally highlighted industrial and technological progress in particular, whereas the emphasis currently lies on promoting countries and strengthening their image abroad.
Designing future society
Yet World Expos still often serve as a showcase event for technological and cutting-edge innovations. They demonstrate how we envision the future of our planet and humanity. Japan chose the theme ‘Designing Future Society for Our Lives’. On an artificial island in the bay of Osaka you can find three zones, reflecting the Expo’s subthemes: Empowering Lives, Saving Lives, and Connecting Lives.
So, this theme offers myriads of opportunities. For example, the Japanese pavilion demonstrates the fragile relationship between humans and water, and the consequences of plastic soup in our oceans. Portugal gave a voice to the ocean, while the Netherlands guide the visitor through climate disruption, energy transition, food security and global health.
In Osaka Belgium invested in a flashy scenography with video animations leaning towards fantasy and dream worlds. © BelExpo
Fantasy
Our country – whose pavilion is situated in the ‘Saving Lives’ zone – firmly opted for human health. After all, our businesses and research institutions have a lot to offer in the area of healthcare, biotechnology, pharmaceutical products and so on.
Far more significantly than during the previous World Expo in Dubai, this time Belgium invested in a flashy scenography with video animations leaning towards fantasy and dream worlds. Mannequins were used as projection screens to illustrate the human body. In line with a Japanese tradition, the Belgian pavilion also has a mascot named BeluBelu, that represents a playful cell – the building block of all life – as a symbol of growth, connection, and transformation. Recently graduated Belgian scholars in Japanese studies welcome and guide the visitor.
Our FPS and the World Expos
Since 2017, BelExpo – or ‘Belgian Commission General for International Exhibitions’ written out in full – has coordinated Belgium’s participation in international expos and World Expos. It is conceived as an administrative service with accounting autonomy within the FPS Economy.
However, the regions and communities as well as the FPS Foreign Affairs are closely involved. For example, a representative from our FPS sits on both committees: (1) the Board of Directors that oversees the functioning of BelExpo (finances, tenders …) and (2) the Technical Committee that thinks out the content of the Belgian pavilion and gives advice on scenography.
In addition to our Central Administration in Brussels, our embassy in the World Expo host country, in this case situated in Tokyo, also plays a prominent role. For example, our colleagues in Japan facilitated BelExpo’s contacts with local authorities, businesses, and sponsors. Having gone along to explore the artificial island where the World Expo takes place, they helped to organise the groundbreaking ceremony in January 2024. They visited the accommodation for the staff of 50 and so on.
And of course, they are on standby for the many Belgians who have passed by or will do so: ministers, princes and princesses, entrepreneurs, tourists … in addition to musicians such as the Compact Disk Dummies, who have performed there.
Kintsugi
The general ‘human regeneration’ motto was inspired by ‘kintsugi’: an ancient Japanese technique for gluing together broken ceramics. Kintsugi does not mask the cracks but literally highlights them by using a lacquer mixed with gold, silver or platinum powder. Likewise, a person can experience scars during life - after illness or injury - from which beauty and value can emerge after healing.
A first common Belgian section along the visitor route brings our vaccine knowledge to the forefront. After all, Belgium’s expertise on vaccine development, production, and distribution is excellent. Within the European Union, our country accounts for approximately 42% of all vaccine exportation for human use.
Our vaccine expertise was also translated into a comic book format in the style of Spike and Suzy, that pictured Belgium and Japan on a fictitious island joining forces to fight a pandemic, by using a vaccine. We hand out the album – available in English and Japanese – to children up to 16 years old.
Digital twins
Each of the regions also presents a theme. Brussels highlights its position as a hub for innovation in medical robotics and artificial intelligence (AI). For example, our capital demonstrates its capability to make very functional bionic joints with groundbreaking prosthetic devices. Flanders tells the ‘circle of life’ story: technologies that can make every stage of life – from before birth to old age – more comfortable.
Finally, Wallonia illustrates the fascinating concept of ‘digital twins’: a model of an individual or an organ, on which the effects of certain drugs or external factors – such as a change in lifestyle – can be virtually simulated using AI.
Princess Astrid and Prince Lorenz leaf through the comic book that was made especially for the world expo. Pieter De Crem (far right) - commissioner general of BelExpo - looks on. © BelExpo
Biscoffs
Our scenography clearly succeeds in offering the visitor a total experience, which currently is a must. And this is also reflected in terms of visitor numbers. On 12 June – in 2 months – we could already welcome 263.378 visitors.
The typical Belgian paraphernalia possibly also help to attract visitors. They are available at a waffle stall in front of the entrance, a cosy rooftop restaurant with Belgian dishes and a store where you can buy, among other things, chocolate and the renowned Biscoffs, our crunchy speculoos biscuits.
Loyal partner
Dating back to 1851, Belgium has taken part in this event and since then, we have not missed a single World Expo yet. After all, this type of expo offers a unique occasion to:
- Raise awareness of our country and its strengths
- Create opportunities for our businesses and our scientific institutions
- Attract foreign visitors and investors to our country
- Better collaborate with other countries and regions on themes of common interest.
Our current pavilion is primarily focused on Japan, the fact being that most of the visitors are Japanese. The land of the rising sun is also a highly loyal partner and an important investor for our country. In 2022, another successful economic mission took place there. And we are preparing the celebrations to mark 160 years of diplomatic relations in 2026.
Princess Astrid
To highlight our assets even more, we are organising special theme weeks. These include ‘Belgian design and architecture’, ‘Belgian food and beverages’, ‘the future of mobility’, ‘peace, human security and dignity’ and ‘the future of health and biodiversity’, events in which the Belgian industry has shown great interest.
On 9 June, Princess Astrid and Prins Lorenz visited the Belgian pavilion as part of an official visit to Japan. There, they highlighted the diplomatic and economic interest of the World Expo, supported the Belgian commitment to the Japanese market and took part in a programme from Fevia, the federation of the Belgian food companies.
In September – on the occasion of the Belgian National Day – Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Prévot and Minister of Economy David Clarinval are scheduled to pay a visit and to meet with Japanese dignitaries.
The spectacular entrance hall with glass dome and lush vegetation. © BelExpo
Glass dome
As always, the Belgian pavilion complies with strict sustainability requirements. What is striking is the spectacular glass dome with a 9,7 m diameter that floods the entrance hall with natural light. The walls are fully vegetated with plants and a ring-shaped waterfall structure suspended from the dome feeds the vegetation with water and mist. The entire dome can be dismantled in no time and will be given a second life in Belgium after the World Expo.
Small and large international expos
Did you know that in the 2nd half of the 19th century and at the start of the 20th century the World Expos became such a hit that they started to burst at the seams a bit? It was common that several expos took place within the same year, sometimes even at the same time. To curb the overabundance, the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) was founded in 1928 with its registered office in Paris. This intergovernmental organisation – with 184 Member States, including Belgium as a founding member – oversees the different World Expos.
There are four types of international expos:
- Large five-yearly World Expos
- Smaller, specialised expos
- Horticultural expos
- The triennial art expo Triennale di Milano.
Belgium has not missed a single World Expo to date, but it does not always take part in the smaller international exhibitions. The last World Expo took place in 2021 – with a 1-year delay due to COVID-19 – in Dubai. We were also present at the horticultural expo Floriade in 2022 in the Netherlands.
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