Vol. 49: FROM THE EDITOR

Following on from last December, this is our second special feature on Osaka’s Expo 2025. Prior to the event’s opening, a chorus of critics pointed to delays and soaring construction costs for venues, and some even asked whether such events had become anachronisms. Although technological developments have certainly accelerated the pace of interaction in virtual spaces, the expo’s very palpable festival atmosphere and the opportunity it offers to glimpse cultures from around the world firsthand seem to have captured the imagination of the younger generations, especially those in their teens and 20s.

I have visited the expo several times, and several pavilions left a deep impression on me. I was particularly impressed by the Women’s Pavilion, the result of a partnership among the Cabinet Office, the economy ministry, the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition and the luxury goods maker Cartier. On June 12, the World Economic Forum released the Global Gender Gap Index for 2025. Japan ranked 118th out of 148 countries, the same as last year. The facts on the ground have clearly not caught up with aspirations for the empowerment of women, but perhaps events like the expo might nudge Japan toward this goal.