Expo 2020 Dubai Closes, the BIE Flag Is Passed on to Japan

The Japan Pavilion won the Gold Award in the Exhibition Design category

April 4, 2022

Expo 2020 Dubai closed on March 31 (Thu.). At the closing ceremony, the UAE returned the BIE flag to the BIE, which then handed it over to Japan, the country that will host the next expo. The Japan Pavilion also closed along with Expo 2020 Dubai.
On the previous day, which was BIE Day, an awards ceremony for the Official Participant Awards* was held by the BIE and Bureau Expo Dubai 2020, and the Japan Pavilion won the Gold Award in the Exhibition Design category.

1. Outline of the closing ceremony (passing of the flag ceremony)

The first-ever registered expo** in the Middle East and Africa, Expo 2020 Dubai ended on March 31 (Thu.) after being held for 182 days. At the closing ceremony, the UAE returned the BIE flag to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), which then handed it over to Japan, the country that will host the next Expo.

The Japan Pavilion also closed along with Expo 2020 Dubai. We would like to thank all of the sponsors, donors, and other relevant parties for all of their kind support.

2. Outline of the Japan Pavilion’s Gold Award in the Exhibition Design category

BIE Day was held on March 30 (Wed.), and an Awards Ceremony was held at the site of Expo 2020 Dubai by the BIE and the Bureau Expo Dubai 2020, during which the recipients of the Official Participant Awards were announced. The Japan Pavilion won the Gold Award in the Exhibition Design category for large pavilions. In addition to the Gold Award from the 2015 Milan International Expo, this makes the Japan Pavilion the first pavilion to win a Gold Award at a registered expo twice in a row.
Other events were held at the venue, including an official ceremony and a performance aimed at promoting the next registered expo, Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai.

* Expo 2020 Dubai Official Participant Awards
Co-hosted by BIE and each expo, this system honors the efforts of each country by giving gold, silver, and bronze awards to pavilions that excel in different categories (Exhibition Design, Architecture & Landscape, and Theme Interpretation), further categorized by exhibition size.

** Registered expo
A large international exposition held every five years

3. About the joint song production project between Kanjani Eight and the Japan Pavilion

In preparation for the next registered expo, Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, the song CIRCLE has been produced as part of the joint project between the Japan Pavilion and the Expo 2020 Dubai ambassadors Kanjani Eight. The theme of the project is “Moving together toward the future, for a world again connected!” and the song aims to build “cycles” in which people’s thoughts are accumulated and bring forth further action.
In conjunction with the closing of Expo 2020 Dubai, music videos will be available on the following YouTube channel  from March 31 (Thu.). Please enjoy them.

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will carry on the legacy of Expo 2020 Dubai and prepare for Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai.

Reference: Outline of the special website “JUNKAN -where ideas meet-“
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Japan Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai offered a new pavilion style in the form of the “Virtual Japan Pavilion,” digital experiences that enabled audiences that were located around the world to participate in the event. The special website “JUNKAN -where ideas meet-” was opened as an online platform for sharing ideas for solving the various issues facing the world. Over 15,000 messages from participants located around the world were submitted during the six months in which the expo was held.
The Virtual Japan Pavilion, including JUNKAN -where ideas meet-, closed along with the Japan Pavilion on March 31 (Thu.).

Reference: Outline of the Japan Pavilion

  • Theme of the Japan Pavilion: Where ideas meet
  • Lead organizing ministry: METI
  • Co-organizing ministries: The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
  • Participating organization: The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)
  • Area of the site: Approximately 5,161.8 square meters
  • Period: From October 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022
  • Japan Pavilion official website
  • Expo 2020 Dubai Japan Pavilion leaflet