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Working visit by Xavier Bettel to Japan
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Xavier Bettel, paid a working visit to Tokyo and Osaka from 11 to 13 April 2025.
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Visit of the pavilion
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Visit of the pavilion
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Visit of the pavilion
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Group photo
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Working session
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Group photo
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Visit of the pavilion
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Luxembourg pavilion in Osaka
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Visit of the pavilion
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(from left to right) Xavier Bettel, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs; Yoshimasa Hayashi, Chief Cabinet Secretary
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Visit of the pavilion
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Group photo
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Visit of the pavilion
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Group photo
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Group photo
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Pavilion Opening Ceremony
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Visit of the pavilion
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(from left to right) Laurent Saint-Martin, Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade; Maja Riniker, Member of the Swiss National Council; Xavier Bettel, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs
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(from left to right) Xavier Bettel, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs; Alain Hostert, Secretary General of the World Association of Chefs' Societies (Worldchefs)
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(from left to right) Xavier Bettel, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs; Takeshi Iwaya, Minister of Foreign Affairs
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Strengthening bilateral relations between Luxembourg and Japan
In Tokyo, Minister Bettel held bilateral meetings with his Japanese counterpart, Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, and with the President of the Japan-Luxembourg Parliamentary Friendship Group and Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi. The agenda included bilateral relations between Luxembourg and Japan, as well as key international issues.
"Japan and Luxembourg are linked by a long-standing partnership based on shared values and mutual trust. We both believe in the importance of multilateralism, cooperation and a rule-based international order – even more so in the current context marked by considerable uncertainty. It is in this spirit that we have addressed current international issues," Xavier Bettel said in this regard.
With the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Luxembourg and Japan approaching in 2027, Xavier Bettel and his Japanese counterparts also discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries in areas such as space, financial services, artificial intelligence, air services and human relations.
Expo Osaka 2025 - Inauguration of the Luxembourg Pavilion
Minister Bettel then travelled to Osaka to attend the official opening ceremony of the 2025 Osaka World Expo, which was held in the presence of Their Imperial Highnesses Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, as well as Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru.
Minister Bettel then proceeded to inaugurate the Luxembourg pavilion, in the presence of the Commissioner General of the Luxembourg pavilion, André Hansen, and representatives of the companies involved in the construction of the pavilion. With the theme "Designing the society of the future, imagining our life tomorrow", Expo 2025 in Osaka, which welcomes 158 countries, is in line with the sustainable development goals adopted by the UN with a view to creating an inclusive, fair and sustainable society.
The Luxembourg pavilion, designed by Luxembourg architecture firm STDM, is themed "Doki Doki - The Luxembourg Heartbeat", a Japanese expression referring to enthusiastic and joyful heartbeats.
Minister Bettel said in this context: "The Luxembourg pavilion illustrates the different facets of Luxembourg: its traditions, its culture, its openness to the world, but also its modernity. It will serve as a showcase for our country and will seek to introduce the different faces of Luxembourg to an international audience. We are particularly proud of the circular design 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. I would like to thank everyone involved in the creation of the Luxembourg pavilion!"
At the pavilion's inauguration, the minister also formalised the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Luxembourg@Expo2025Osaka consortium and NestaResort Kobe, formalising NestaResort Kobe's commitment to reuse the concrete foundation blocks of the Luxembourg pavilion after the end of the Expo, thereby contributing to the realisation of the pavilion's circular concept.
Finally, Minister Bettel took advantage of his participation in the World Expo to meet visitors – from Luxembourg, Japan and around the world – at the Luxembourg pavilion and to visit other national pavilions. The Minister also welcomed France's Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade, Laurent Saint-Martin, and the President of the Swiss National Council, Maja Riniker, to the Luxembourg pavilion for a tour of the pavilion and a friendly game of bowling. The minister also welcomed a group of young members of the "Pueri Cantores", the boys' choir of the Luxembourg City Conservatory. They performed at the Expo site together with young people from the Ritsumeikan School in Kyoto. This was the first cultural event at the Luxembourg pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka.
Xavier Bettel also had the opportunity to talk with the pupils and students of the Luxembourg School of Hospitality and Tourism (EHTL), who are responsible for carrying out tasks in the kitchen, pastry shop and service areas within the Luxembourg pavilion. It was also an opportunity to discover their culinary creations.
Finally, it should be noted that the Luxembourg pavilion also houses a bowling alley ("Keelebunn"), which is an expression of traditional Luxembourg craftsmanship and can be seen as a fine example of knowledge transfer: it is the result of a collaboration between students from the Lycée Emile Metz, trainers from the CNFPC (National Centre for Continuing Vocational Training) and the last builder of bowling alleys in Luxembourg, Georges Linster.
Press release by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade