On October 13, the Baltic Pavilion closed its doors at EXPO 2025 Osaka in Japan. This marked the conclusion of Latvia’s six-month participation in the world’s largest international exhibition, which has introduced a wide audience from Japan and beyond to Latvia as a nation rich in culture and tradition, and as a promising country offering innovative and unique technological solutions to potential investors.
Thanks to a diverse and impactful cultural and business program, Latvia made a powerful impression on the global stage during this EXPO. The Baltic Pavilion, jointly representing Latvia and Lithuania, welcomed a record-breaking number of visitors—900,000 guests explored and praised the pavilion’s design, atmosphere, and the innovative way in which the values of Latvia and the Baltics were presented. Latvia’s participation in EXPO 2025 Osaka was organized by the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA), and Latvia also served as the leading country in the creation of the Baltic Pavilion. The pavilion was developed in cooperation with LIAA and the Government Chancellery of the Republic of Lithuania by the association Kettler, which brought together six Latvian companies: SIA "Inspired", SIA "7 A.M.", SIA "Variant Studio", SIA "Ozols IR", SIA "AD production", and SIA "Datu tehnoloģiju grupa".
Lāsma Līdaka, Latvia’s Commissioner General for EXPO 2025 Osaka, expressed satisfaction with the accomplishments, emphasizing the success of the joint Latvia–Lithuania pavilion concept:
“Organizing Latvia’s participation in EXPO 2025 Osaka was full of challenges, but it once again proved that bringing together strong professionals from various fields results in an outstanding outcome. The Baltic Pavilion stood out among nearly 190 pavilions and became a favorite for many visitors. We captivated audiences with a unique design and concept, engaging cultural and innovation-focused events, the mascot Barabi-chan, and our excellent team of guides who communicated fluently in Japanese. This kept visitors coming back and inspired many to want to visit Latvia in person. Participation in EXPO was certainly a highly successful first encounter, paving the way for long-term cooperation in tourism and business.”
International Awards for the Baltic Pavilion – Recognition on the World Stage
The Baltic Pavilion has earned a number of international accolades. The results of the World Expo Awards by the global publication EXIBITOR were recently announced, granting the pavilion the 1st place award for Best Costumes at the world’s largest exhibition. For over 40 years, EXIBITOR has organized leading exhibitions in design and, for the past decade, has awarded the most impressive pavilions at World Expos.
The Baltic Pavilion, representing Latvia and Lithuania at EXPO 2025 Osaka, also won two awards at the prestigious World Expolympics 2025, organized by the international institution The Experiential Design Authority. In the People’s Choice category, the pavilion won 2nd place and a Silver Medal, with the results determined by experience design professionals, EXPO enthusiasts, and visitors. In the Best Mascot category, the lovable mushroom Barabi-chan, one of the key symbols of the pavilion, earned recognition and secured 5th place.
In addition, the project received the “Namejs Award 2025” as the most successful Latvia–Lithuania cooperation project in foreign markets. The Namejs Awards celebrate the most successful Latvian businesses and joint cross-border projects in Lithuania. This was the 15th year of the competition.
The Japanese Love Latvia – From Trees Planted in the Baltics to Massive Media Coverage
Since the opening of EXPO 2025 Osaka in April, visitors to the Baltic Pavilion have actively participated in a unique initiative—symbolic tree planting in the forests of Latvia and Lithuania, becoming godparents to the trees and receiving digital certificates indicating their contribution and precise coordinates, encouraging them to visit and see the trees they helped plant. The initiative has been warmly received, with over 420,000 trees already planted in the Tērvete and Joniškis forests—demonstrating a deep shared understanding between Latvia and Japan regarding nature’s importance and long-term environmental thinking.
The Baltic Pavilion has also garnered significant attention from Japanese media, being featured in over 1,600 publications, TV segments, and radio interviews, reaching tens of millions of viewers, listeners, and readers. Moreover, the pavilion ranked twice in a row among the TOP 5 most talked-about pavilions on the social platform X, reaching 3rd place, further confirming that Latvia made a truly impactful impression both in Japan and globally.
Opening the Door to Japan – From New Contacts to Signed Agreements
As part of EXPO 2025 Osaka and its accompanying business program, over 75 events were held in Japan to promote Latvian culture, traditions, and business. Highlights included the Latvian National Day celebration, featuring a spectacular cultural program and a specially created performance titled “Echo | Atbalss”, as well as the business forum “Transforming Cities and Mobility through Innovation & Technology. Humans Powered by Technologies,” which was attended by the President of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, and the largest Latvian business delegation ever to visit Japan.
Equally significant were the investment promotion forum in Tokyo, the Baltic Day celebrations that highlighted the Song and Dance Festival tradition, and the business conference on aerospace manufacturing, titled “How innovations in aerospace manufacturing can contribute to sustainability and environmental preservation”, which showcased Latvia’s strengths and innovation potential in the space and smart technology sectors.
Altogether, more than 200 Latvian companies participated or were represented in the business activities at EXPO 2025 Osaka and its extended program in Japan. While the full impact of these efforts will unfold through 2028, the results are already promising—1,798 business contacts have been established, and 34 cooperation agreements have been signed.
Photos available here.
About EXPO 2025 Osaka:
EXPO 2025 Osaka is the world’s most significant exhibition for nation branding and export promotion, addressing not only economic issues but also key global social challenges. The event features 160 countries, 9 international organizations, and is expected to attract over 28 million visitors from around the globe. The Expo offers a platform to showcase countries and regions, while combining global knowledge and ideas to develop new technologies and innovations to solve global problems. The main theme of the Expo is “Designing Future Society for Our Lives”, while the Baltic Pavilion’s sub-theme is “Saving Lives”, focusing on improving quality of life through cutting-edge technologies and adherence to high environmental standards. To support Latvia’s nation branding and export goals, an extensive business program accompanies Latvia’s participation in EXPO 2025 Osaka, providing Latvian companies with opportunities to participate in industry exhibitions, events, and trade missions in Japan.