Construction of the France Pavilion at the World Expo, which will be held from April 13 to October 13, 2025 in Osaka, will begin this spring. Its architecture was presented Tuesday afternoon, at the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, by Jacques Maire, general commissioner for France Osaka 2025, and president of the French Exhibition Company (Cofrex). This publicly owned company created in 2018 is the first permanent structure dedicated to France’s participation in universal and international exhibitions.
One hundred and sixty countries will participate in this event, whose theme is “Designing the society of the future. Imagine our life tomorrow. France will have great visibility there, since its pavilion will be located at the entrance to the site, which will extend over more than 155 hectares on the artificial island of Yumeshima, in Osaka Bay. This temporary building of 5400m², designed by the Coldefy agency
Designed as a romantic stroll, divided into three stages, the permanent exhibition, whose artistic director is the artist Justine Emard, will extend over 1000 m². To this will be added six temporary exhibitions presenting living know-how, works of art, or immersive experiences which will follow one another for six months in a space of 200 m². “The hymn to Love, which constitutes our central theme, will thus offer a new vision of the future, with a strong message on the meaning of life, and its most beautiful dimension, Love: Love of oneself, Love of others, Love of the planet, but also the love story between France and Japan,” said Jacques Maire.
This meeting will also be an opportunity to discover France, and represents an exceptional showcase for French companies, and the influence of French culture and know-how. LVMH, the Axa group, the organization promoting Alsace wines, and the ETI Ninapharm are the major partners of the France Pavilion, financed 80% by the State (42 million euros) and 20% by private funds (11 million euros). “In Osaka, France will carry its message of belief in progress, confidence in the future, and our collective capacity to forge our destiny, to imagine boldly shaping our lives of tomorrow. This also echoes the values of the France brand that we launched in October 2023, “Make it iconic. Choose France”, underlined Olivier Becht, Minister Delegate in charge of Foreign Trade.
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This pavilion must also promote relations between France and the third economic power in the world, to anchor them in a new dynamic. “Even if our relations with Japan are excellent,” recalled Jacques Maire, “they are not at the level, particularly at the economic level, that they should reach. In markets, which are numerous in Japan, we are in a defensive position and face increased competition. The Japanese who see us as a major player in the art of living have not necessarily taken the measure of the other areas of development of our economy, particularly in low-carbon reindustrialization.” The latter sent a particular message to companies of all sizes in the industrial, transport, energy and recycling sectors. “Often in the B to C sector, they sometimes feel that they do not need to participate in strengthening the image of France among the general public. I appeal to them: our country is engaged in an unprecedented low-carbon reindustrialization effort with the France 2030 plan. Promoting this dimension of the France brand in Osaka can only help you,” he said.
The organizers of the Osaka 2025 World Expo expect 28 million visitors to this event, including at least three million for the France Pavilion.
