Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai - The last World Expo I visited in my life

Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai held at Yumeshima Island was closed on the 13th of October.

Japan's first World Expo was also held in Osaka in 1970 when I was a college student.

I hadn't imagined two World  Expos in Osaka in my lifetime.

On both occasion, I enjoyed exploring unique national cultural heritage of each country 

and future technologies. 

This time I especially enjoyed walking around the immense two-tiered circular walkway 

of the Grand Ring which symbolizes “Unity in Diversity.”

The Grand Ring at night from here

(More about the Grand Ring is in my June post A glimpse into Expo 2025.)

Myaku-Myaku is the mascot for Expo 2025 Osaka. 

The Japanese word "脈 myaku"  means pulse. The repetition of "myaku" represents

 the continuous flow of life and knowledge from generation to generation.  

The highlight of my second visit to Expo 2025 was the  several world-class masterpieces 

at the Italy Pavillion.

Italian mascot and bee hive

Just looking at the fantastic, unique, or experimental architecture was fun.

The exterior of NullNull Pavilion composed of mirror-like materials constantly transform 

while reflecting the surroundings and visitors.

BTW, the first female Prime Minister was born in Japan where gender equality index 

has been very low.

Sanae Takaichi is a self-made politician, not a hereditary one, with strength, humility, and flexibility.

She is highly competent, insightful, and has made tremendous efforts for policy-making

as is called "a walking encyclopedia of government policies."

I'd like to correct some of the misleading overseas media reports about her from my point of view.

She is taking the right position for Japan's tradition and geo-political situation.

This is a puzzling point that some female liberals who have been advocating diversity 

and female empowerment started criticizing her. 

Takaichi shows sincere global considerations while she is committed to preserving

 cultural uniqueness and distinctiveness of the nation as a staunch concervative.

What's needed in politicians is whether they can do their job to make results 

for the good of the nation.

I hope she'll  turn people's anxieties about their present and future into hope 

and tackle with the rising prices to build a strong economy.

What will be our judgement in the next election?

Back to the talk of World Expo, I wrote my thoughts on the Expo 1970 Osaka

 in the 2018 post  "Progress and Harmony for Mankind"

I have a question for you.

What is the thing closely related to your everyday life that has progressed most

 in nearly half a century?

I think of two things.

1. At the Expo '70, TOTO featured "Washlet," an early version of the Japanese toilet with integrated  bidet functions and heating.  Now high-tech toilet is a standard fixture in Japanese homes and at public facilities.

2. "Dream Telephone" exhibited at the NTT Pavilion was a revolutionary wireless device, which led us into this amazingly connected world.  It developed in the process  from carphones to the first generation of mobile phones, and to the present smartphones.