UK at World Expo 2025
Osaka, Kansai

EXPO 2025 presents an opportunity for Greater Manchester to strengthen its already warm and industrious relationship with Japan.

This relationship has deep roots, dating back to 1865 when a group of students from Japan travelled to Greater Manchester to learn about the revolutionary technology used in the UK’s cotton industry.

This, and the reciprocal visit to Japan by engineers from Greater Manchester kick-started Japan’s industrialisation and a great exchange of knowledge that continues to this day.

Today, many Japanese companies hold a strong base in Greater Manchester including Daikin, Brother, Dentsu, Sharp and Mizkan. These companies are investing in our region and creating jobs for our people; with some actively collaborating with our innovators to help meet low-carbon goals.

Our strong partnership with Japan is something that Greater Manchester is committed to enhancing further; we created the Greater Manchester Japan Steering Group in 2021 to promote and enable further collaboration between our regions.

Over the last four years, there have been several diplomatic exchanges between Greater Manchester and Japan, including our trade mission to Osaka and Tokyo in December 2023 and the reciprocal visit by Mayor Yokoyama to Greater Manchester in June 2024.

These exchanges included the signing of an important Memorandum of Understandings; including an MOU between Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and Mayor Yokoyama of Osaka City, to strengthen innovation and economic ties. Additional MOUs with both Panasonic and Daikin are helping us to accelerate the rollout of green technologies across Greater Manchester.

During the December 2023 mission, Greater Manchester committed to return to Japan for the World Expo to support Osaka on the world stage.  

By taking over the UK Pavilion at EXPO with our very own Manchester Day, we hope more innovative Japanese companies will be inspired to work with us as we show our region’s sector strengths and vast potential on the world stage.

We also committed in 2023, to create a stunning contemporary performance to honour and celebrate the shared history and close bond between Greater Manchester and Osaka.

With support from Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the Arts Council, and sponsorship by Daikin, Panasonic Corporation, Deloitte, and Electricity North West, this performance has materialised as BLOOM: a celebration and appreciation of our relationship with Osaka, from the people of Greater Manchester.

BLOOM is informed by the past and inspired by the potential of our future relationship. It will premiere on the UK Pavilion at EXPO on Thursday 19 June with additional performances open to the public on Friday 20 June on the Osaka Pavilion.

During our time at EXPO, I hope we will see many new collaborations bloom and existing partnerships strengthened. The organisations on our mission are committed to our continued partnership based on cooperation, innovation, and growth, paving the way for many more years of collaboration and shared success.