Looks like the 2020’s will be a busy decade for Japan. Not only is the country hosting the Olympics in Tokyo for 2020, but Osaka has won the bid to host the World Expo in 2025. The Bureau International des Expositions (BIE)  picked Osaka for the event over Russia and Azerbaijan. Japan’s foreign minister, Taro Kono, picked Pikachu as the city’s ambassador, and even launched a Pokemon-led campaign/concept video. From the looks of things, it was the right decision.

Expo 2025 Japan’s official twitter page explained the collaboration as a “view of the future of society that Japan is aiming to represent through the Expo”. This is many view Pokemon as a theme which represents diversity. This is mainly due to the franchise having around 800 Pokemon living together in harmony. They believe that Pokemon can share this value “across language and cultural barriers “.

They hold the World Expo every five years, and each event can last up to six months in their hist cities. Milan, Italy previously hosted it in 2015, with Dubai having the hosting duties for 2020.

Source: BIE official