News item | 13-10-2025 | 3:50 PM
The world exhibition, Expo 2025 Osaka, Japan took place from April 13 to October 13, 2025. The Netherlands presented itself there with the circular pavilion Common Groundwhich attracted a total of more than 1.2 million visitors. During six months, the Netherlands organized more than 140 events and six trade missions took place.
Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan had the theme ‘Designing Future Society for Our Lives’ and brought together more than 160 countries and organizations. The Dutch pavilion offered a global meeting place for sharing knowledge and ideas for a better future. Last month, the organizing committee, the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, reported that a total of more than 25 million people from Japan and beyond attended the event.
Common Ground
The visitor experience of the Dutch pavilion attracted more than 850,000 interested parties. The theme was ‘Common Ground’, a reference to cooperation and our long trading relationship with Japan. A groundbreaking AI film showed why collaboration at an international level is so important. At the end of the experience, visitors were introduced to Dutch innovations that all use the power of nature.
State Secretary Aukje de Vries of Foreign Trade and Development Aid: “At Expo 2025 we showed that economic opportunities and solutions to global problems go hand in hand. Dutch companies prove every day that a lot can be earned through innovation. Together with Japan, we will continue to build our trade relationship, even after the Expo.”
Platform for doing business and collaboration
During the Expo, more than 140 events took place in and around the Dutch pavilion, with a total of more than 350,000 visitors. Six economic missions took place, with which Dutch companies and knowledge institutions explored and strengthened new collaborations, including in the digitalization and high-tech, healthcare, agro-food, horticulture and energy sectors.
Circular and future-proof pavilion
The Dutch pavilion, designed by AND BV (a consortium of Rau Architects, Design Studio Tellart, engineering firm DGMR and Japanese contractor Asanuma), is completely circular. The Japanese company Pasona intends to give the Dutch pavilion a second life on the island of Awaji.