The Secretary General of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, carried out an official visit to Japan this week with meetings in Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka, focusing on institutional cooperation, Expo legacy and future collaboration.

The Secretary General of the BIE, Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, with Yasushi Kaneko, Japan’s Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
The Secretary General of the BIE, Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, with Yasushi Kaneko, Japan’s Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism

In Tokyo, the Secretary General met with Yasushi Kaneko, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and with Norikazu Suzuki, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Exchanges focused on preparations for Horticultural Expo 2027 Yokohama, taking place between 19 March and 26 September 2027, as well as Japan’s long-standing engagement with the BIE including perspectives linked to forthcoming international projects.

The Secretary General of the BIE, Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, with Norikazu Suzuki, Japan’s Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Image provided by the GREEN×EXPO Association
The Secretary General of the BIE, Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, with Norikazu Suzuki, Japan’s Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Image provided by the GREEN×EXPO Association

The Secretary General also met with Yoshinobu Tsutsui, Chairman of the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) and Chairman of the Japan Association for the International Horticultural Expo 2027 Yokohama, to discuss the sustainability-oriented approach of Expo 2027 Yokohama.

The Secretary General of the BIE, Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, with Yuji Kuroiwa, the Governor of Kanagawa Prefecture. Image provided by the GREEN×EXPO Association
The Secretary General of the BIE, Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, with Yuji Kuroiwa, the Governor of Kanagawa Prefecture. Image provided by the GREEN×EXPO Association

On 30 June and 1 July, the Secretary General attended the Expo 2027 Yokohama International Participants Meeting, which gathered representatives of over 70 countries to review progress towards the next Horticultural Expo. On the sidelines of the meeting, a visit was organised to the Expo site, and the Secretary General met with the Governor of Kanagawa Prefecture, Yuji Kuroiwa, and the Mayor of Yokohama, Takeharu Yamanaka.

The Secretary General of the BIE, Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, with Takeharu Yamanaka, the Mayor of Yokohama. Image provided by the GREEN×EXPO Association
The Secretary General of the BIE, Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, with Takeharu Yamanaka, the Mayor of Yokohama. Image provided by the GREEN×EXPO Association

In Osaka, a meeting was held with the Governor of Osaka Prefecture, Hirofumi Yoshimura, and the Mayor of Osaka City, Hideyuki Yokoyama. Discussions focused on the legacy and impact of Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai, which closed its gates on 13 October 2025 after welcoming over 29 million visitors.

On the occasion of the visit, the BIE signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Osaka Prefecture on the preservation and sharing of visual archives from Expo 1970 Osaka. The agreement will enable selected official photos and archival materials to be made available for institutional and educational purposes under the auspices of the BIE.

Japan is a founding member of the BIE, and the country has successfully organised six Expos across different categories under the auspices of the Organisation.