EXPO-sure and Influence: Japan’s Public Diplomacy via EXPO 2025
- Michelle Tse
- Aug 2
- 6 min read
Introduction
The EXPO 2025, currently taking place in Osaka from April to October, is an important international event for Japan situated in an artificial island (i.e., Yumeshima) it built exclusively for the event to project its soft power, economic diplomacy, and the role it is playing in the great power rivalry amid the geopolitical tensions. Beyond being simply a technological showcase, the EXPO is an example of Japan’s public diplomacy approach as a middle power in the international society to cultivate international goodwill through its soft power, project a future-oriented national identity, and reaffirm its leadership in solving global issues.
This article will examine how Japan is leveraging EXPO 2025 as a platform for public diplomacy to strengthen its international image, reaffirm its leadership among middle-power states, and counterbalance geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific. While the international event represents an opportunity for Japan to achieve the aforementioned objectives, its result hinges on the coherence of relevant policy and public engagement within and beyond the country.
Public diplomacy and Japan’s strategic interests
Public diplomacy, according to Nye (2008), refers to governments’ efforts to influence foreign publics and shape international perceptions via non-coercive means. For Japan, a state with constitutional limitations on military engagement and a pacifist foreign policy orientation, public diplomacy plays a central role in shaping its international identity and influence (Singh, 2023).
In the last decade however, most of the significant events, be they international or regional, were about states’ behaviour with their hard powers, such as economic and military coercion as observed from Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, China’s “wolf warrior” diplomacy in the South China Sea, Sino-United States (US) trade war, and other intensifying geopolitical rivalries at play today. Ever since then, hard power has remained a hot topic in discussions surrounding geopolitics and international affairs.
Despite these, Japan has consistently leveraged public diplomacy to enhance its reputation, strengthen alliances, and promote values aligned with liberal internationalism (Ogoura, 2009) which is reflected through the vision of the current exposition where innovations by more than 150 nations are exhibited in a single location, and narratives of peace, collaboration, and sustainability are promoted.
Japan as a regional norm entrepreneur
The theme of the current EXPO 2025 is “Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” reflecting Japan’s motivation to position itself as a thought leader in addressing global challenges. Nye’s concept of soft power emphasises this very concept, which centres on leveraging the East Asian nation’s influence through culture, values, and policies. With multiple emphasis on sustainability, health, digital transformation, and inclusive innovation, Japan has sought to engage the international public in a “dialogue” about shared futures.
In fact, the main concept of this EXPO (“People’s Living Lab: A Laboratory for a Future Society) has embodied the East Asian nation’s attempt to position itself as a norm entrepreneur, which as defined by Carr & Baldino (2015) as “[an] actor who deliberately seeks to transmit and promote new standards of behaviour that achieve widespread communal incorporation.” By curating narratives of being a centre of innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability, Japan has differentiated itself from rivals in the region, particularly China, whose international image has been challenged in recent years for arguments of having an aggressive foreign policy and citations of domestic repression.
Through its leadership in regional frameworks such as the Asia Zero Emission Community and technical partnerships in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the EXPO 2025 has, hence, become a battleground of influence where Japan has positioned itself as a responsible and trusted actor for global governance and cooperation.
A platform for strategic alignment in the Indo-Pacific
In a larger sense, EXPO 2025 does not only build Japan’s national image on aesthetics or tourism. Part of this nation's strategy is to leave lasting impressions that cultivate diplomatic relations, attract investment, and influence international actors through its technology exhibitions and cultural programming.
The EXPO’s subthemes of “Saving Lives”, “Empowering Lives”, and “Connecting Lives”, which emphasise topics such as smart cities, life sciences, and green innovation, are also not incidental. These are linked to Japan’s strategic soft power goals of being a problem-solving state to global challenges which could boost its diplomatic capital and regain its relevance in the world that is increasingly dominated by narratives shaped by rising powers.
The EXPO's subthemes [...] are linked to Japan’s strategic soft power goals of being a problem-solving state to global challenges which could boost its diplomatic capital and regain its relevance in the world that is increasingly dominated by narratives shaped by rising powers.
The event also allows Japan to project its vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, 2024), one that is centred on openness and high-visibility platforms, without triggering regional tensions at present. Though security dialogues and defence pacts may alienate some countries, an international EXPO in the country will provide a non-threatening space to align with like-minded partners especially at the present time where current geopolitical realities in the region demands the East Asian nation to manage its complicated relationships with countries such as the US, China and the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. With this posturing, this will allow Japan to strategically align its norm-centred priorities and maximise the opportunity of this year’s EXPO with 150 participating nations which ultimately reinforces its position as a hub for dialogue and cultural exchange.
Risks, contradictions, and strategic uncertainty
Despite its diplomatic potential, Japan’s public diplomacy via EXPO 2025 is not without risk. Public diplomacy relies on credibility. If Japan performs contrary to its image and behaviour, for instance, promotes sustainability while exporting coal technologies, or promotes being inclusive while facing criticism over immigration and gender equity, its soft power could be undermined. In response to that criticism, Japan needs to ensure its domestic policies align with its international messaging and, hence, make the EXPO as a credible platform for green leadership.
Public diplomacy relies on credibility. If Japan performs contrary to its image and behaviour, for instance, promotes sustainability while exporting coal technologies, or promotes being inclusive while facing criticism over immigration and gender equity, its soft power could be undermined.
In addition, the event faces logistical and financial pressures. If the economic benefits fail to materialise or appear to benefit only elites and corporations, public support may erode. From an international context, the global soft power landscape is increasingly competitive. From China’s Belt and Road Initiative to South Korea’s cultural diplomacy, Japan must ensure that the EXPO serves as a path for increased attention and relevance for global engagement that will extend beyond the closing of its pavilions. The EXPO itself cannot guarantee influence unless followed by sustained diplomatic engagement and policy coherence.
Japan’s hosting of this EXPO is certainly a crucial juncture for Japan to reinvigorate its national brand and shape stories in the international scene by reintroducing itself with its technologies, culture, and most importantly, its values and vision for the future. But its success does remain conditional. To gain the maximum returns of public diplomacy, Japan must ensure that its principles are consistent in terms of its narratives and policy while ensuring that it invests in trust-building through delivering on its commitment with respect to innovation, inclusion, and sustainability. A world in which influence increasingly depends on legitimacy and attraction could well remain a pivotal moment in Japan's diplomatic evolution, should it ever meet the high expectations that it has set for itself with EXPO 2025.
This article represents the views of contributors to STEAR's online digital publication, and not those of STEAR, which takes no institutional positions.
REFERENCES
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