Looking Back on King Willem-Alexander’s Visit to Expo 2025 Osaka

On Wednesday, 21 May, and Thursday, 22 May, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands visited the World Expo in Osaka as part of his journey to Japan. Between 13 April and 13 October 2025, Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan is expected to welcome no less than 28 million visitors. The Netherlands has its own pavilion at the Expo, which has already received many thousands of guests in its first month. The King’s visit marked the highlight of the Netherlands’ National Day at the Expo. He was accompanied by Minister Klever for Foreign Trade and Development and Minister Beljaarts of Economic Affairs, who are in Japan for an economic working visit and a trade mission focusing on high tech and digitalization.

National Day Celebrations

National Day at the Expo is a special occasion hosted by each participating country. On 21 May, it was the Netherlands’ turn, and the King traveled to Osaka for the event. After signing the guestbook and attending an official ceremony—featuring the Dutch national anthem and flag-raising—King Willem-Alexander delivered a welcome address. In his speech, he emphasized the long-standing relationship between Japan and the Netherlands. In addition to Expo, 2025 also marks 425 years of Dutch–Japanese relations.

Circular Pavilion

The King concluded the day with a visit to the rest of the Netherlands Pavilion. A day earlier (20 May), AND BV, the design and construction consortium behind the pavilion, reached an agreement with the Japanese multinational Pasona Group to purchase and repurpose the pavilion after the Expo. This was always the intention: the Dutch pavilion is a model of circular construction—each part is registered and can be dismantled and reused elsewhere without loss. The day also included visits to the Japanese and Czech pavilions.

425 Years of Shared History

Throughout May, Osaka Castle is spotlighting the long-standing relationship between Japan and the Netherlands. The exhibition A New Dawn on Common Ground: 425 Years of Exchange between Japan and the Netherlands features objects dating back to the year 1600. That year, the Dutch ship De Liefde arrived in Japan, carrying the first Dutchmen to make contact with the country. This meeting eventually led to an exclusive trading relationship that lasted more than 200 years. On the second day of his visit, the King visited this exhibition, which was organized by the Dutch Consulate in Osaka and features items from both Dutch and Japanese collections.

The Legacy of Rangaku

Later that day, 22 May, the royal delegation visited Tekijuku, one of the most important Dutch-language schools in Japan. Until well into the 19th century, Japanese students studied Dutch there to access Western books. The presence of the Dutch in Japan offered a rare window to the rest of the world. Through Rangaku (Dutch Studies), the latest knowledge in fields such as medicine was introduced to Japan. Today, Tekijuku is part of Osaka University, where last year a new medical cooperation agreement was signed between Japan and the Netherlands. The King also visited Nakanoshima Qross, a new hub for research into the future of healthcare.

Innovation and Future Collaboration

In the afternoon, King Willem-Alexander and Minister Klever joined the economic mission on high tech and digitalization, led by Minister Beljaarts. Around 70 Dutch companies were introduced to approximately 170 Japanese guests. Multiple partnership agreements were signed to promote cooperation in areas such as semiconductors, quantum computing, and 6G telecommunications. The day concluded with an Innovation Parade, where 19 Dutch and Japanese organizations presented their work to the King.