Member States of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) have elected Japan as host country of World Expo 2025.
After two rounds of voting during the BIE’s 164th General Assembly in Paris, a majority of member states voted for Japan’s project to organise World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Kansai under the theme ‘Designing Future Society for Our Lives’ between 3 May and 3 November 2025.
“The election of Japan as the host country of World Expo 2025 marks the start of an exciting journey for Osaka,” said BIE Secretary General Vicente G. Loscertales.
He added: “The Expo project, based around the co-creation of a future society to address global challenges, has a strong resonance with the international community. After the memorable success of World Expo 1970, we look forward to seeing a World Expo once again come to life in Osaka, Kansai.”
Osaka won a final round of voting against Russia’s candidate city, Ekaterinburg, by 92 votes to 61.
Baku, Azerbaijan, was eliminated in the first round of voting.
World Expos are organised every five years and can last up to six months.
The most recent World Expo was held in Milan, Italy, in 2015, under the theme ‘Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life’, while the next World Expo will take place in Dubai (UAE) between 20 October 2020 and 10 April 2021 under the theme ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’.
