Bettel opens Luxembourg pavilion at Osaka World Expo

Luxembourg Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel was on hand to inaugurate the Grand Duchy’s pavilion at the Osaka World Expo 2025 on Saturday.

Bettel, who had been in Japan since Friday to meet his Japanese counterpart Takeshi Iwaya, had earlier attended the expo’s opening ceremony in the presence of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, as well as Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru.

“The Luxembourg pavilion illustrates the different facets of Luxembourg: its traditions, its culture, its openness to the world, but also its modernity,” Bettel said at the ribbon cutting.  

He added that Luxembourg is particularly proud of the circular nature of the pavilion. “The importance of responsible and respectful management of natural resources is one of the main messages conveyed by Luxembourg’s participation in the expo,” he said.

Bettel during his visit signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Luxembourg@Expo2025Osaka economic interest group and the NestaResort Kobe theme park. This seals the resort’s commitment to reuse the concrete foundation blocks of the Luxembourg pavilion after the end of the expo.

The theme of the Luxembourg pavilion, designed by Luxembourg architectural firm STDM, is ‘Doki Doki – The Luxembourg Heartbeat’, the Japanese expression for enthusiastic and joyful heartbeats.

Bettel also took time to talk to students of the Luxembourg School of Hotel Management and Tourism (EHTL), who have taken charge of the pavilion’s restaurant service.  

He also tried his hand at bowling in the pavilion’s traditional Keelebunn, which was installed by the Grand Duchy’s last remaining builder of bowling alleys, Georges Linster.

The Osaka World Expo continues until October with visits planned by Luxembourg trade and diplomatic delegations, including Crown Prince Guillaume.