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Design of the Netherlands Pavilion

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The theme of Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai is ‘Designing Future Society for Our Lives’. An ambition that strikes a chord with the Netherlands. Together with partners across the globe, the Netherlands is striving to solve many challenges facing our societies and our planet. Climate change. Energy transition. Food Security. Global health. These challenges are too big to solve alone. We need to look at things from different angles, think outside the box, and explore new ideas and possibilities. And by working together from common ground we can create innovative and sustainable solutions.

Common Ground is also the theme of the Netherlands participation. Our pavilion aims to be an open space where people can meet, learn from each other, and inspire one another. A place where we can unite our energy to create healthy and happy societies. 

The Netherlands has been dealing with water challenges for centuries. A quarter of our country lies below sea-level. In the fight against water, Dutch people have learned to put aside their differences and work towards a common goal. By combining our ideas and expertise, we were able to protect our coastlines, harness the power of wind to reclaim land, and develop a sophisticated water management system.

On common ground we built the foundations of the Netherlands we know today. Both in terms of landscape and mindset.

Today, the world is facing two urgent challenges when it comes to energy transition: scarcity of raw materials and the end of our dependency on fossil fuels. As energy is at the heart of everything we need and do: we must fast track the transition to clean and renewable energy.

As a message of hope for a resilient future, the design of the Netherlands Pavilion features an anthropogenic ('man-made') sun. It symbolises the rising sun - a future empowered by collaboration and energy that is clean, unlimited, and accessible for all: a new dawn.

At the heart of the Pavilion, the Netherlands will present technologies that can harness the infinite power contained in water. Technologies that might even go a long way towards ending our dependency on fossil fuel. A transition towards clean and renewable energy. 

Clean and renewable energy resources that are accessible for all will open up boundless possibilities for sustainable innovation that enable people to live a healthy and happy life. Together, we can pioneer solutions to fight climate change, increase food supply, futureproof our cities and improve global health.  

The longstanding relationship between Japan and the Netherlands begun four centuries ago in 1600, when the first Dutch ship called De Liefde arrived in Kyushu. Since then, our two countries have been working together, for instance, in setting up Rangaku learning centres, which enabled knowledge exchange between Japan and the West. Through Rangaku, Japanese scholars learned about western medicines, botany, astronomy, as well as about scientific and technological development in Europe. This enabled Japan to build a robust knowledge base that lead to the country's rapid modernisation.   

For nearly 240 years – well into the 19th century –  the Netherlands was the only European country allowed to trade directly with Japan. And the relationship between our two countries continues to flourish. Today, Japan remains an important partner for the Netherlands in trade, innovation and culture. 

Japan and the Netherlands share universal values: freedom, democracy and rule of law. The Netherlands highly appreciates Japan’s long cultural tradition in which the arts, craftmanship and heritage have intrinsic value. Conversely, Japan is interested in the Netherlands' innovative and unconventional approach to dealing with societal issues like ageing population, rapid urbanisation, sustainability and social inclusion.

More about the shared history of Japan and the Netherlands

The Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai is also an excellent platform to strengthen the economic, political, and cultural relations with Japan and the East Asian region. At Expo, the Netherlands wants to stimulate collaboration, explore new ideas and innovate together on the basis of ‘Common Ground’.

We believe that by combining different points of view, expertise, and ideas, we can create innovative, ready-to-use solutions to global challenges. That’s why, in lead-up to Expo (Road2Expo) and during Expo itself, we will organise events, exhibitions and seminars, thematic weeks to develop new partnerships and share ideas to create smart and sustainable solutions together.