EXPO2025 Theme Weeks

Programme details

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Accepting diversity, being considerate of others, and understanding each other is considered to be of utmost importance for society’s future.
Among such trends, well-being based on altruistic human connection, which Japanese people have valued since ancient times, may play an important role.
In this program, together with experts, we will discuss how to incorporate personal well-being aimed at improving one's lifestyle and collective well-being obtained through human interaction into society.
To improve collective well-being and accept diversity, it is also necessary to promote diversity and inclusion (DEI). We will reflect on health and well-being from gender, global, and DEI perspectives and communicate it to the world.

Reports

【Reflection】
We held three theme sessions, moderated by Mitsuyo Kusano, under the overarching theme of "Collective experience enhances our sense of happiness." The first session featured a video presentation on collective well-being by Yoshiki Ishikawa. Ishikawa emphasized that non-verbal communication (e.g., eating, exercising, singing, dancing, or holding festivals) nurtures organizational and collective ties. With speakers Rosa Kato and Keiko Ikeda of Kansai University, Ishikawa shared perspectives regarding how non-verbal communication creates a sense of unity and therefore collective happiness. In the second session themed "Collective experience deepens organizational and collective ties," four foreign students in Japan presented their experiences of feeling accepted in groups of people with different cultural backgrounds. They talked about topics such as "being accepted as a person," "a sense of unity and complementarity in group work," "approaching others or being approached," and "getting used to a language and being able to hold a conversation." The students shared opinions with each other, agreeing that collective experience deepens organizational and collective ties. In the final session, the speakers affirmed that a special collective experience like Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan provides a good example of how the non-verbal aspects of a festival can nurture collective well-being, and that collective participation enhances the shared sense of happiness. They also talked about the importance of being considerate of individuals who feel uncomfortable with such collective actions, discussing both the benefits (i.e., a sense of happiness) and risks of collective experience. In doing so, they delivered a message about how collective experience nurtures a sense of belonging and happiness as part of collective well-being.

【Post EXPO Initiatives】
When developing this program for the sessions, we found it necessary to define a global theme. As diversity, consideration of others, and mutual understanding are currently highlighted as important factors for future society, the program theme considered how we can incorporate collective well-being, which can be obtained by human-to-human connection as important well-being based on Japan's long-valued altruistic mindset, into society, alongside personal well-being to improve one's life. As more than half of the world population is said to be up to the age of 30, we included four foreign students in Japan among the session speakers. This was made possible through the assistance of Keiko Ikeda of Kansai University, who was also a speaker. Furthermore, we invited students to be part of the audience, with the aim of nurturing their awareness and behavior in future actions through the collective experience of attending the sessions. We also provided workers with the opportunity to view the sessions for the same purpose. Below are some of the comments from the audience (students and workers) shared in the post-session survey:
・ I learned this word for the first time today. I'll remember it as a keyword for the future.
・ I want to spend more time with others to increase collective well-being around me.
・ As an exchange student, it was a valuable experience to learn about this theme from Japanese perspectives.
・ It was a valuable experience to hear the real voices of (foreign) students.
・ I want to give my company a suggestion about the well-being gained from spending time together.
・ A global event like the Expo is an effective way to share the concept of well-being.
・ As a person working in human resources, I want to provide better small group experiences to enhance collective well-being.
・ I learned that well-being is about considering fulfillment from life and work, instead of lifestyle, and better conditions for all and not only for yourself, to live better.
Moreover, we encouraged the audience (students and workers) to communicate the Association's official page (which features the program details) together with their opinions. These sessions in the “Theme Weeks“ program at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan strengthened understandings of collective well-being and inspired positive future actions to promote it through collective experience. We believe this will become a legacy.

Cast

Moderator

Mitsuyo Kusano

Mitsuyo Kusano is a freelance TV presenter, formerly working for NHK, where she was a presenter for the live coverage of the Lillehammer Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony, field presenter for the Atlanta Summer Olympics, and one of the program hosts for the annual Kohaku Utagassen Song Festival. After leaving NHK, she became a co-anchor for TETSUYA CHIKUSHI NEWS23. Currently, she is Auditor of the Japan Sport Association and a board member of the Jin-Bun-Chi forum.

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Yoshiki Ishikawa

Founder, Well-being for Planet Earth Foundation

Yoshiki Ishikawa has a Ph.D. in Medicine and is an expert in preventive medicine.
Born in Hiroshima Prefecture in 1981, he graduated from the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Health Sciences and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He earned his doctorate (medical) from Jichi Medical University. He serves as Founder of the Well-being for Planet Earth Foundation.
He works on a long-term vision to cover up to the sixth great-grandchildren (the eighth generation), with the theme of “What is it that people live in harmony with Planet Earth?”

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Speakers

Rosa Kato

Rosa Kato began working as a fashion model when she was a tenth grader.
She made her debut as an actress in “Tokyo Tower,” a film released in January 2005.
Currently, she is a mother of two.

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Keiko Ikeda

Professor, Kansai University Division of International Affairs

Keiko Ikeda is Professor at Kansai University Division of International Affairs, Vice-Director for Institute for Innovative Global Education (IIGE), and Executive Project Lead for JIGE (Japan hub for Innovative Global Education) (Inter-University Exchange Project 2023-2027).
Area of expertise: international education, conversation analysis, and linguistics.
In 2022, she was a member of the Council for the Creation of Future Education.
She is engaged, among others, in the preparation of a proposal for the globalization of education for human resource development in a global society.

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Health and Well-being Week

Health and Well-Being: From Personal Well-Being to Collective Well-Being

Various values have spread in society, and diversity is widely accepted today, allowing each of us to seek happiness. As ideas of happiness expand, we reflect on the importance of not only personal well-being to improve one's lifestyle but also collective well-being, which is possible through human interaction.

  • 2025.06.20[Fri]

    15:0016:00

    (Venue Open 14:30)

  • Theme Weeks Studio
  • * Programme times and content are subject to change. Any changes will be announced on this website and via the ticket booking system.
  • * The schedule is subject to change depending on the organiser's circumstances.

OTHER PROGRAM

Health and Well-being Week

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