The Member States of the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE) have elected Japan as the host country for the 2025 World Expo.
During the 164th General Assembly of the BIE, a majority of the Member States of the BIE elected in the second round of voting, the project of Japan to organize the Universal Exhibition 2025 in Osaka on the theme “Designing the Society of the Future, Imagine our Life of Tomorrow “for the period from May 3 to November 3, 2025.
Japan elected host of World Expo 2025.
“The election of Japan as the host country for World Expo 2025 marks the beginning of an extraordinary adventure for Osaka,” said BIE Secretary General Vicente G. Loscertales; stating: “The 2025 World Expo project in Osaka, based on the co-creation of a future society to respond to global challenges, responds to the concerns of the international community. After the unforgettable success of the 1970 Universal Exhibition, we are delighted to see a Universal Exhibition taking shape and life again in Osaka, Kansai. ”
Three countries were in the running for the organization of the Universal Exhibition 2025.
Russia was a candidate with the city of Yekaterinburg and the theme “Changing the World: Innovations and a Better Life for Future Generations”.
Azerbaijan was a candidate with the city of Baku and the theme “Human Capital Development, Building a Better Future”.
Member States – entitled to vote – represented by their delegates appointed by their respective governments, elected the host country by secret ballot, according to the principle of “one country, one vote “.
As no candidate obtained two-thirds of the votes needed to be elected in the first round, Japan and Russia remained in the second round, for which a simple majority of votes is required to be elected.
Results in the first round:
Japan – 85
Russia – 48
Azerbaijan – 23
Results in the second round
Japan – 92
Russia – 61
The World’s fair, officially known as Universal Exposition, takes place every five years. They can last up to six months and international participants can build their own pavilion on the Exhibition site.
The themes of the Universal Exhibitions are designed to raise awareness and find answers to the universal challenges of our time. The last World Expo was held in the city of Milan, Italy, in 2015 around the theme “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life”. The next will take place in Dubai (UAE) from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021 on “Connecting Spirits, Building the Future”.