One year on from Expo 2025: the UK Pavilion legacy and the future of MUSUBI

13 April 2026

Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, which took place over six months in 2025, marked the first anniversary of its opening on 13 April. During the Expo, the UK Pavilion welcomed more than 1.2 million visitors, including members of the Japanese Imperial Family, members of the British Royal Family and other international royal families, heads of government, artists, and representatives from over 200 UK companies. While the Pavilion concluded its role with the close of the Expo in October 2025, its ideas and outcomes continue to live on across Japan as a lasting legacy.

Achievements of the UK Pavilion

At Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, the UK Pavilion welcomed over 1.2 million visitors under the theme “Come Build the Future”, showcasing the UK’s strengths in culture, creativity and innovation. The UK’s participation in the Expo provided a valuable opportunity for both countries to reflect on how the UK and Japan can continue to build the future together.

Eighteen UK trade missions visited the UK Pavilion during the Expo, helping to deepen new business and economic relationships through a wide range of events. These missions included more than 200 UK companies, with participants from across the UK, including Wales and Scotland. New partnerships were formed, including strengthened regional collaboration, such as links between Manchester and Osaka.

The UK’s business programme at the Expo also placed strong emphasis on supporting women’s economic empowerment, through events that highlighted women leaders and women active in STEM fields. Many of the business connections formed during the Expo are already leading to concrete outcomes, with further collaboration expected in the years ahead.

A tangible UK Pavilion legacy taking new form across Japan

The UK Pavilion was more than an exhibition; it demonstrated the UK’s strong commitment to sustainable development and circular design. Built using a modular structure, the Pavilion was designed from the outset with reuse in mind, rather than disposal once the Expo ended.

Working closely with construction and operational partners, the UK Government ensured a sustainable dismantling process. This work was led by UK company ES Global, with equipment and materials returned, reused or recycled wherever possible. Many operational assets, including commercial kitchen equipment, were rented and returned after use, helping to reduce waste and extend product life cycles.

These efforts reflect the UK’s serious commitment to the circular economy and align with values shared by both the UK and Japan — innovation, environmental responsibility and long‑term legacy. The adoption of ISO 20121 for Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai was also a significant milestone.

Following the Expo, many Pavilion exhibits and fittings have taken on new roles across Japan. These donations, tailored to local needs, contribute to sustainability while also serving as tangible symbols of the UK–Japan friendship and the success of Expo 2025.

Examples include rose plants donated to civic rose parks in Fukuyama City and Expo ’70 Commemorative Park; the iconic red telephone box relocated to Kansai International Airport; and tea sets, benches, tables and furniture donated to the community space “Minna no Ie” in Suzu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, to support local gatherings following the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake. A portable stage and lighting donated to the British School in Tokyo are now used by students for performances and school events. Plants from the UK Pavilion garden have also been replanted at the British Ambassador’s Residence in Tokyo, where they are growing well as they enter their first spring since the Expo closed.

MUSUBI: nurturing the next generation of UK–Japan leaders

Another important legacy of the UK’s participation in Expo 2025 is MUSUBI. Announced on UK National Day at the Expo on 22 May 2025 by the UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy, MUSUBI aims to deepen people‑to‑people connections between the UK and Japan. It seeks to nurture leadership that can work across cultures, address shared global challenges and unlock future opportunities.

Taking its name from the Japanese word musubi, meaning connection or bond, MUSUBI is an innovative public–private partnership within the UK–Japan relationship. With support from the private sector, the initiative delivers a wide range of programmes including scholarships, sports and cultural exchanges, and initiatives to support women’s economic empowerment

Through hands‑on, participant‑focused programmes and meaningful cross‑cultural collaboration, MUSUBI supports the growth of the next generation of UK–Japan leaders, helping to create a positive and dynamic environment for long‑term cooperation.

Julia Longbottom CMG, British Ambassador to Japan, said:

“As we mark one year since the opening of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, I am delighted to see the UK Pavilion’s legacy continuing across Japan. I would like to once again extend my sincere thanks and congratulations to everyone involved. Alongside the Pavilion’s tangible legacy, I strongly hope that our investment in the next generation of UK–Japan leaders through MUSUBI will continue for many years to come. The UK Pavilion will remain connected with people across Japan.”

Mike Blyth, British Consul General in Osaka, said:

“One year ago, on 13 April, six months of people‑to‑people and business exchange began at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. Since the Expo closed, investment and trade between the UK and Japan have continued to grow, and the UK Pavilion’s exhibits are now taking on new roles across Kansai and beyond as lasting symbols of our friendship. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed, and for the encouragement we received.”

Pavilion Item	Donation Destination
Red telephone box	Kansai International Airport (Izumisano City, Osaka Prefecture)
Rose plants	Rose Park, Fukuyama City (Hiroshima Prefecture); Expo ’70 Commemorative Park, Suita City (Osaka Prefecture)
Tea sets, benches, tables, furniture, kitchen equipment, IT equipment, and other items	“Minna no Ie” community space, Noroshi, Suzu City (Ishikawa Prefecture)
United Kingdom national flag (Union Jack)	Former British Consulate in Nagasaki (Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture)
Portable stage and lighting	British School in Tokyo (Setagaya Ward, Tokyo)
Garden plants	Garden of the British Ambassador’s Residence in Tokyo (Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo)