#Japan #Osaka #SIGNING #EXPO2025 #OsakaKansai

A Glimpse into the Future at Expo 2025

Recently, SIGNING, a Tokyo-based social design company, unveiled a report titled EXPO2025 FUTURES REPORT - Insights into the Future from the Osaka-Kansai Expo. This publication explores not only the anticipated futures emerging from the Expo but also provides predictions on 100 legacies that will extend beyond the event.

The Osaka-Kansai Expo is centered around the theme of designing a vibrant future society, serving as a platform to showcase cultures and cutting-edge technologies from around the world. This global event is also a stage for social design aimed at solving worldwide challenges. Just like the moving walkways and canned coffee inventions that originated from the 1970 Osaka Expo, the current event is expected to foster numerous innovations that will be inherited by future generations.

Key Insights from the Report

Diverse Expectations

According to a survey conducted with over 600 participants ranging from teenagers to seniors, approximately 80% expressed that their expectations were exceeded in their Expo experience. This positive feedback reflects the profound impact the Expo has on its attendees.

Thematic Weeks

The report identifies 93 pavilions hosting exhibits from 94 countries, underlining the significance of thematic weeks which serve as a foundation for addressing global challenges. These themes, inherited from the 2020 Dubai Expo, include important dialogues aimed at co-creating a vibrant future society.

Physical Experience of Futures

The Expo provides a unique opportunity for individuals to experience diverse futures physically, prompting attendees to reflect on their own future possibilities. This immersive experience encourages participants to consider not just a single future but many intertwined futures.

Plurality of Futures

Notably, the report emphasizes the term FUTURES instead of FUTURE, indicating a shift towards understanding multiple potential outcomes. This approach acknowledges that within these futures lie various NATURES, CULTURES, ORIGINS, and ENDINGS, vastly expanding the narrative around what tomorrow could hold.

The 100 Legacies

The report categorizes eight key signals of future development observed during the Expo. From these signals, they predict 100 potential legacies, highlighting practices and innovations that could traverse beyond the Expo's conclusion, shaping society continuously.

Reflection on Technological Innovations

The innovations presented at the 1970 Expo were a source of inspiration and excitement, encapsulating what many perceived as sci-fi technology at the time. Fast forward to the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo, where the focus has shifted towards social designs that tackle pressing global issues. Through thorough research and engagement with various stakeholders, the report reveals signs of a plural form of futures that has emerged from this Expo. This newfound perspective invites us to look at futures in a multidimensional way.

The Commitment of SIGNING

SIGNING aims to leverage creative solutions to address social challenges, simulating future societies based on various societal signals. Collaborating with the Hakuhodo DY Group, they deliver solutions across enterprises, municipalities, and academic institutions, ranging from communications to the development of services and products. The mission is to create new future choices that resonate across society.

Company Overview

Located in the Mita International Building, Tokyo, SIGNING is managed by CEO Takashi Maki and dedicates itself to implementing creative social designs to inspire future societies.

For more insights into SIGNING’s work and the legacies of Expo 2025, the full report is available for download here. Additionally, other reports by SIGNING such as the SBNR Report and Tokyo Creative Report can be found on their website.

In conclusion, the Expo serves not just as an event but as a lens through which we can envision a vibrant future, crafted with a diverse array of social designs and legacies. The hope is that attendees and report readers alike can engage in the creation of these multiple futures together.