Health and Well-being Week
Onsen and twinning between Japanese and Tunisian Cities
Republic of Tunisia
Onsen Day at the Osaka Expo 2025 is a collaborative event between Japan and Tunisia presenting their shared experience of traditional health and wellness practices. This special event aims at spotlighting the potential contribution of thermal therapy, holistic wellness, and onsen tourism to sustainable development in general, and particularly in Africa. It reviews the experience of both countries, drawing lessons and exploring opportunities for innovation, and for cross-cultural collaboration and partnership.
Discussion
- Healthy life expectancy
- Well-being
| Transmission of simultaneous interpretation | Not provided |
|---|---|
| Language of interpretation | Japanese and English |
Please watch the Virtual Studio if you are outside the venue.
-
Track Programme
- * 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.
- Time and
Date of
the event -
-
2025.06.25[Wed]
18:00 ～ 20:30
(Venue Open 17:30)
-
- Venue
- Theme Weeks Studio
Programme details
I. Welcoming Remarks (18:00 – 18:30 PM)
- Opening remarks by Master of Ceremony, Dr Abdessalem Rabhi, Program Manager at IGES, Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan
- Speech of H.E Ahmed Chafra| Ambassador of Tunisia in Tokyo
- Speech of M. Riadh Attia| Deputy General Manager of CEPEX and Deputy General Commissioner of Tunisia at Expo 2025 Osaka
- Speech of M. Ittoku Saraya | Honorary Consul of Tunisia in Osaka
- Speech of M. Tomoo Nakayama | President of the Tunisian-Japanese Friendship Association
- Speech on M. Tetsuro Yano | Afreco President
Promotional video, Geography and History of Onsens and Hammams in Tunisia
II. Presentations (18:30 – 20:00 PM)
A. ‘’ Onsen Tourism in Japan: Source of inspiration and partnership for Tunisia and other African and Mediterranean countries ’’
- Presentation of Program by Master of Ceremony Ramses Koumuro-Benboubaker
- M. Kenji Kitayama | Expert in Onsen Tourism in Japan: “Economic, social and cultural importance of Onsen Tourism in decentralized, rural and sustainable development in Japan”
- Representative from Oita Prefecture: “Synergy between Onsen Tourism and OVOP in Oita” (TBC)
- Dr. Junichiro Kojo | President K-Tokyo (Synapse therapy specialist): “Synapse therapy, a great value added wellness service product for Onsen Tourism”
- Ms Nami Suzuki|K-Tokyo Chief secretary, “Synapse Therapy for Onsen Tourism in Tunisia”
B. Onsen tourism in Tunisia: The emergence of a new decentralized tourism with high added value and local content’’
- Skander Tlili, Hot springs, public baths, hammam and spa in Tunisia, in the past and today
- M. Salah Hannachi | Former Ambassador of Tunisia in Tokyo, President of the Tunisia-Japan Friendship Association, and President of the Support Committee: “Leveraging the hot springs, onsen and wellness tourism, ovop for rural development, decentralized, high local content and high value added tourism in Tunisia and other Mediterranean and African developing countries.
- M Chahnez Guizani | General Director of ONTH (The National Office of Thermal Springs and Hydrotherapy): “The hot spring network in Tunisia and its potential for decentralized heritage based sustainable development”
- M. Mohamed Mehdi Haloui| General Director of ONTT (The National Tunisian Office of Tourism): “Tunisia’s experience with thalassotherapy, wellness Tourism, and potential for onsen tourism”
- M. Azouz Ennifar |Former Ambassador and UN Under-Secretay General , Vice President of Support Committee: “Korbous, the awakening of the Kusatsu of Tunisia, past, present and future”
- M. Faiez Rouissi |Architect, Green Hill Resorts Founder: “ Green Hill Resorts, a pioneering mountain resort project of Onsen Tourism in Tunisia”
C. Panel Question, Answers & Debate (20:00 – 20:30 PM)
Reports
Onsen Day at the Osaka Expo 2025 was a collaborative event between Japan and Tunisia. The event was preceded by a field trip by the Tunisian Delegation to Sekizenkan at Shima Onsen and Kusatsu Onsen in Gunma Prefecture.
Dr Junichiro Kojou of K-Tokyo and Kenji Kitayama of Sherpa management Solutions guided the delegation. Both have visited onsen resorts in Tunisia. Dr Kojou made several visits, offering training sessions in Synapse Therapy.
Representatives from Algeria, Cote d'Ivoire, Gabon , Guinea and Jordan attended Onsen Day. They expressed the relevance of the theme to their countries and their strong interest in participating in future debates and events on the concept. Onsen Day allowed for the presentation of shared experiences in traditional health and wellness practices.
The event advocated the integration of Onsen Tourism, heritage and local products (OVOP/Isson-Ippin), and high value-added services such as Synapse Therapy, aromatherapy, etc. The integration of thermal therapy, holistic wellness, and Onsen tourism has the potential to contribute to decentralized, rural, and urban sustainable development in general—particularly in Tunisia and across Africa.
Like OVOP, Onsen Tourism has the potential to become a powerful theme of Japanese diplomacy, particularly with Tunisia and Africa within the TICAD process. Such diplomacy would advocate international cooperation focused on health- and wellness-centered development. This cooperation would be implemented through the promotion of the economy, industry, technologies, and infrastructure related to wellness, health, and human security.
Bringing together institutional representatives, wellness industry pioneers, and visionary thinkers and practitioners from both nations, the event highlighted the potential of hot springs (onsen) tourism and introduced emerging wellness models inspired by Japanese practices. A highlight of the event was a bilateral discussion on how traditional and modern wellness methods can serve as tools for decentralized health, economic development, and cultural diplomacy.
【Post EXPO’s initiative】
The theme discussed during this event sparked the interest of all participants and could constitute a strong focus for boosting partnership and cooperation between Tunisia and Japan, while also expanding to other areas, whether in Africa or the Mediterranean region.
Among the follow-up actions for this event, we plan to undertake several initiatives, including:
• A feedback meeting with members of the Tunisian delegation to review the event and draw key conclusions.
• An online meeting with the Japanese panelists to thank them for their participation, gather their impressions of the event, and invite them to explore new opportunities for cooperation and partnership in the field of ONSEN.
• Integration of the ONSEN theme into the program of upcoming events organized by Tunisia on the sidelines of EXPO OSAKA 2025, including the Economic Day (August 13, 2025) and OVOP Day (One Village, One Product) scheduled for September 25, 2025.
• Exploration of possible synergies between ONSEN and OVOP to develop new growth levers at the regional level in Tunisia.
• Organization of a field visit for a Japanese delegation to Tunisia, in coordination with relevant organizations in both Tunisia and Japan.
Cast
Moderator
Abdessalem Rabhi
Program Manager at IGES
View Profile
Close
close
Speakers
H.E Ahmed Chafra
Ambassador of Tunisia in Tokyo
View Profile
Close
close
Salah Hannachi
Former Ambassador of Tunisia in Tokyo, President of the Tunisia-Japan Friendship Association, and President of the Support Committee
View Profile
Close
close
Chahnez Guizani
General Director of ONTH (The National Office of Thermal Springs and Hydrotherapy
View Profile
Close
close
Azouz Ennifar
Former Ambassador and UN Under-Secretay General, Vice President of Support Committee
View Profile
Close
close
Kenji Kitayama
Expert in Onsen Tourism in Japan
View Profile
Close
close
Dr. Junichiro Kojo
President K-Tokyo (Synapse therapy specialist)
View Profile
Close
close
Nami Suzuki
K-Tokyo Chief secretary
View Profile
Close
close
Mohamed Mehdi Haloui
General Director of ONTT (The National Tunisian Office of Tourism)
View Profile
Close
close
Tetsuro Yano
Afreco President
View Profile
Close
close
Faiez Rouissi
Architect, Green Hill Resorts Founder
View Profile
Close
close
Tomoo Nakayama
President of the Tunisian-Japanese Friendship Association
View Profile
Close
close
Riadh Attia
Deputy General Manager of CEPEX and Deputy General Commissioner of Tunisia at Expo 2025 Osaka
View Profile
Close
close
Ittoku Saraya
Honorary Consul of Tunisia in Osaka
View Profile
Close
close
Health and Well-being Week
Onsen and twinning between Japanese and Tunisian Cities
Onsen Day at the Osaka Expo 2025 is a collaborative event between Japan and Tunisia presenting their shared experience of traditional health and wellness practices. This special event aims at spotlighting the potential contribution of thermal therapy, holistic wellness, and onsen tourism to sustainable development in general, and particularly in Africa. It reviews the experience of both countries, drawing lessons and exploring opportunities for innovation, and for cross-cultural collaboration and partnership.
-
2025.06.25[Wed]
18:00～20:30
(Venue Open 17:30)
- 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.
Please watch the Virtual Studio if you are outside the venue.
OTHER PROGRAM
Health and Well-being Week
