2025 Osaka Expo

Join us for the 2025 Osaka Expo!

Date: Thursday, February 20, 2025

Time: 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Location: CBRE, Inc. 321 N Clark Street, #3400, Chicago, IL 60654

About: The theme of the Expo is “Designing Future Society for our lives” and the concept is the People's Living Lab. The world’s knowledge and cutting-edge technology will be brought together, to create and share new ideas to help resolve global issue. This webinar will update you with the latest information about the Osaka, Kansai Expo. Featuring Sachiko Yoshimura, appointed as the Director-General of the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, in September 2022. She is conducting a Global communication team, and her responsibility is to raise global interest in the 2025 World Exposition, by planning and implementing promotional events and campaigns and building strong relationships with the global media.

About the 'From Heritage to Hope: Uniting Osaka, Chicago, and Maui Through Culture and Recovery' Portion: Osaka, Maui, and Chicago are interconnected through shared experiences, cultural ties, and acts of solidarity. Osaka and Chicago celebrate 52 years as sister cities, a relationship rooted in their hosting of World Expositions. A lasting symbol of their bond is the Osaka Japanese Garden in Chicago’s Jackson Park, originally a gift from Japan after the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition.

Japan and Hawaii share profound connections shaped by deep historical and cultural ties. Following the devastating 2023 Maui wildfires, Japan extended significant support, exemplified by the Kibou (Hope) for Maui Project.

This initiative focuses on community healing, leadership development, knowledge exchange, and resilience building. This presentation highlights the foundational work of the US-Japan Council’s Kibou for Maui Project and the proposed next steps in bringing hope, rebuilding and renewal to Maui’s communities.

Featuring Anna Ninoyu, the founder and principal architect of METIS Design, an architecture design firm based in Chicago. Including The University of Chicago Medicine, Related Midwest and the Japanese American Service Committee as clients, the firm is a conduit for cultural exchange and innovative design. She also participated in the 2024 Japanese American Leadership Delegation, facilitating cross cultural exchange. As well as Yoh Kawanami, a Director at Hawaiian Electric Company where he is responsible for the operations of customer-sited energy resources, supporting the integration of renewable energy. Also serving as a board member to the US-Japan Council, and participated in the 2024 Japanese American Leadership Delegation, facilitating cross cultural exchange.

Price:

• Free for Members & $5 for Non-Members (Zoom Only) - Yoshimura Zoom Presentation (6:30 PM - 7:30 PM)
• $10 for Members & $15 for Non-Members (Hybrid - Zoom & In-Person) - Reception, Ninoyu & Kawanami In-Person Presentation, & Yoshimura Zoom Presentation

Hosted By: Japan America Society of Chicago and Chicago Sister Cities International

Special Thanks to our Sponsors: CBRE, Inchi by Torino, Otafuku, and Kimino

Info: In-Person & Zoom

Info: Virtual through Zoom

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

CBRE, 321 North Clark Street, Chicago, United States