World Expo 2025

The red-white-red plans for the Expo in Japan

A large wooden bow adorns the Austria pavilion.

(Bild: Expo Austria)

Next year, the World Expo will take place in Osaka, Japan. Austria also wants to show off its best side. The "Krone" shows what visitors to the Expo can expect in the red-white-red pavilion.

If you ask ten Japanese people about their associations with Austria, classical music and culture come to mind for nine of them. The red-white-red team wants to pick up interested parties at the major World Expo 2025 in Osaka, which starts on April 13. "But we want to present ourselves as diverse. Austria is more than just Mozart," says Alf Netek, Head of the Expo Office. The organizer previously worked in management at Kapsch for more than 20 years.

16 meter high wooden music band
Austria wants to attract attention with a huge wooden bow, which is intended to represent a band of music. "A masterpiece of Austrian timber construction architecture," says Netek. It was built in Austria by the company Graf Holztechnik from Horn in the Waldviertel. The key data: 16 meters high and consisting of 14.5 tons of wood. The structure is designed to withstand storms of up to 200 km/h and will be shipped to Japan by sea. A concept for its subsequent use is already in place and attention has been paid to recyclability.

"The music band stands for dynamism, elegance and innovation," says Netek. On its way through the exhibition, it will then become a digital ribbon, symbolically leading from the past into the future.

Bösendorfer, Hundertwasser and much more: Austria presents itself at the Expo.

(Bild: Expo Austria)

Bösendorfer belongs to Japanese Yamaha
Visitors to the pavilion are greeted by a Bösendorfer piano. The traditional company is now owned by the Japanese Yamaha. Legend has it that Tenno Mutsuhito, the great-grandfather of the current Emperor Akihito, was given a Bösendorfer grand piano by the Austro-Hungarian monarchy and thus came into contact with Western classical music for the first time. It is said that a naval officer played an Austrian piece for the Japanese ruler.

Once the Japanese music lovers' interest has been aroused, Austria also wants to draw attention to its innovations. 150 companies responded to a "Call for Innovation". Between 20 and 30 were selected by a jury, including AVL List, Skidata and the start-up Biome Diagnostics with projects. 

Alf Netek heads the Expo office and is preparing Austria's contribution to the world exhibition.

(Bild: Expo Austria)

Many well-established Austrian companies are on board, including piano manufacturer Bösendorfer, printed circuit board manufacturer AT&S, glass manufacturer Riedl and Julius Meinl.

1.8 billion euros in exports to Japan
Japan is the fourth most important overseas export market for Austria with a volume of 1.8 billion euros. "Companies will therefore also use the Expo to present themselves and make contacts," says Netek. Small and medium-sized companies in particular have already been able to use this as a springboard at previous world expos.

28 million visitors are expected, 150 countries are represented. Austria has a budget of 20 million euros at its disposal, three quarters of which is provided by the Ministry of Economics and one quarter by the Chamber of Commerce.