Japan Pavilion Basic Plan for EXPO 2027 Belgrade Formulated -Exhibition Theme: "Play and Connect, Together, Playful Spirit of Japan"-

Oct 27, 2025

The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) (Chairman and CEO: ISHIGURO Norihiko; Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo) has been designated to implement the Government of Japan's official participation project for the 2027 Belgrade International Exposition (hereinafter referred to as “EXPO 2027 Belgrade"), based on the Cabinet approval granted in August 2025.

In preparation for Japan's official participation in EXPO 2027 Belgrade, JETRO established the “Government of Japan EXPO 2027 Belgrade Exhibition Planning Committee" composed of a panel of experts. Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) serves as the lead ministry, with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) acting as the co-lead. After three rounds of discussions, the committee has now finalized outlining the basic plan of the Japan Pavilion's theme and the overall direction of its exhibits.

-Play and Connect, Together-
Playful Spirit of Japan

Play for Humanity, the theme of EXPO 2027 Belgrade, embodies a truly universal concept emphasizing the value of joining hands and thinking together in this increasingly divisive world. When considering themes for the Japan Pavilion that would resonate with Serbia's proposed EXPO theme as the host country, our first thought was the Serbian Pavilion at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan. The Serbian Pavilion presented a unique exhibit effectively linking the Expo 2025 Osaka theme of “Designing Future Society for Our Lives," to the theme of the next Expo in Belgrade, “Play." EXPO 2027 Belgrade will be the first Expo Japan participates in after hosting the previous one. At our Japan Pavilion, we will reciprocate Serbia's gesture by sublimely weaving the Expo 2025 Osaka theme, “Designing Future Society for Our Lives," along with its legacy concept, “unity in diversity," into the theme of “Play."

We believe that to play is to connect. When people are immersed in play, their curiosity leads them to engage with others. Interacting and frolicking with nature while exploring the surrounding environments connects us with all forms of life. The very act of reaching out to others is, in itself, a form of play.

Inherent to the concept of “play" are the notions of openness and flexibility. Physical openness, as seen in architecture, and emotional room, especially in the form of humor and playfulness, are equally essential to its idea. These elements—having been passed down through the ages in the form of everyday customs and wisdom—create a breathing space that enables all forms of life to connect.

These ideas reflect the universal nature of “play," deeply rooted in our history, which manifest in distinct ways across diverse aspects of Japanese society. The Japan Pavilion will showcase these multifaceted aspects of play that have been passed down through generations. To convey such ideas in a comprehensive way, we have chosen “Playful Spirit of Japan" as the theme of the Japan Pavilion.

Through the exhibition, we aim to demonstrate that “Play and Connect, Together“ can lead to a bright “Future Society for Our Lives," truly empowering the world to overcome the various divisions that it faces and realize “unity in diversity."