[Q&A with Partner Companies #6] Becoming a partner company has doubtless led to new connections and initiatives, both internally and externally. What discoveries and synergies have emerged as a result?
A large number of companies are taking part in the signature pavilion, Future of Life, each of which endorses the themes of the pavilion and the approaches of Producer ISHIGURO Hiroshi. In this series of articles, we intend to showcase what ideas, visions, and initiatives these companies have come up with in response to the themes of the pavilion and of the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan as a whole.
The sixth question we posed partner companies was this: Becoming a partner company of the Future of Life pavilion has doubtless led to new connections and initiatives, both internally and externally. What sort of discoveries and synergies have emerged as a result?
HASEKO Corporation
The partner companies have established a system of voluntary collaboration, including visits to each other’s facilities and participation in several round-table discussions. These discussions have focused on different topics, generating diverse and innovative ideas that have broadened participants’ perspectives, and helped to concretize the vision of the future we ought to aim for. We have also deepened understanding of the initiatives and technical strengths of our partner companies, which we believe has laid a solid foundation for future collaborations.
KOKUYO Co.,Ltd.
Our theme for the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan is “Future of Learning, 50 years from now,” and the future of learning will remain an important theme for KOKUYO even after the Expo ends. For this reason, we have launched the YOKOKU Learning project, to understand changes in learning from a long-term perspective.
Shionogi & Co., Ltd.
https://www.shionogi.com/jp/ja/
We have been exchanging opinions with our co-creation partner companies, inviting their project members to tour our premises and visiting their offices as well. These interactions were an opportunity for us to engage in discussions with professionals from different industries, providing our project members with invaluable new perspectives. They have since shared their learnings and inspiration they gained throughout the company.
Sysmex Corporation
We have been communicating proactively with our co-creation partners. These interactions have of course included matters related to the pavilion, but we have also shared information about our respective business environments as well as initiatives aimed at encouraging internal communications. Our project members have been impressed by the new perspectives and dynamic approaches of professionals in other industries, motivating them to initiate activities that go beyond the immediate scope of the project. Going forward, we hope to continue spreading the synergistic effects of these new connections both internally and externally.
Japan Federation of Kaigo Business Providers Consortium Expo 2025
Although nothing has been actualized yet, we are currently discussing collaborations and tie-ups with various companies. These companies approached Japan Federation of Kaigo Business Providers purely because of our participation in the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan and in Prof. Ishiguro’s pavilion. It is up to us to seize these opportunities. By finding the best ways to collaborate with each company, we hope to create the nursing care of the future.
DENSO CORPORATION
In order to give concrete shape to the various elements of the pavilion exhibition, we held an “Ideathon,” which our employees participated in on a voluntary basis. These participants discussed new possibilities for mobility and its future, and created “DENSO Forest,” an experiential attraction that stimulates all five senses. After carrying out investigative tests at childcare facilities and making any necessary improvements, we hosted an in-house DENSO Forest event attended by more than 300 children. Thanks to these activities, anticipation for the future of mobility is growing both inside and outside our company.
Hankyu Hanshin Holdings, Inc.
https://www.hankyu-hanshin.co.jp/
Grand Green Osaka, the official name of the Umekita Phase 2 Development Project, is attracting as much attention in the Kansai region as the Expo. The Umekita Future Innovation Organization, which fosters innovation, has launched “Innovation Radio.” Thanks to the cooperation of co-creation partner DENSO, the radio station was able to welcome Masahiro Hara, the inventor of the QR Code, as its first guest. On the show, Hara discussed his reasons for making QR Code open source and reflected on the future of innovation.
KYOCERA Corporation
Becoming a technical partner inspired us to launch a cross-organizational project to foster collaboration throughout the company. Externally, we have strengthened our partnerships with partner companies and pavilion operation teams, gaining diverse insights from industry and academia. This has allowed us to adopt a future-oriented business perspective. In the future, we intend to increase our efforts toward dynamic co-creation and, together with our partners, bring about transformation in the real world.
HEART-S CO., LTD.
We have gained opportunities to collaborate and co-create with Prof. Ishiguro, production teams, and partner companies. Leveraging our expertise in producing spaces for the entertainment industry, we are working with partner companies from various fields and utilizing their cutting-edge technologies. This collaboration has provided us with valuable insights into innovative approaches to space production. Internally, new members have participated in discussions and exchanged opinions, fostering an ambition to embark on new challenges in unprecedented areas. Going forward, we anticipate the potential for major leaps forward.
Fujikin Incorporated
This has been an opportunity to think once again about society and “life” 50 years from now. We have reaffirmed our ambition as a company to realize a sustainable society, with the goal of creating an abundant future. We believe this ambition is shared by our partner companies, and for this reason, we hope to continue contributing to society through our products. The Expo will showcase innovations that have the potential to transform the world, and we are delighted to take an active role together with our co-creators.
HORIBA, Ltd.
We invited our Future of Life pavilion partner companies to our premises to share various information. Attendees deepened their understanding of each other’s worldviews and successfully strengthened the sense of unity among the different companies. We explored the possibility of collaborating with the SHIONOGI Group in the fields of medicine and bio healthcare and shared various learnings and experiences with them. Engaging in deeper discussions has generated new ideas, leading us to identify possibilities that could result in the development of future products and services.
Iwase Cosfa Co., Ltd.
At Iwase Cosfa, we are aiming to carry out more than 100 initiatives to build anticipation and stir up excitement around the Expo in the year leading up to the opening. To this end, we have invited all our employees to bounce different ideas around, and our project team has engaged in various activities. Additionally, in collaboration with TOYO BEAUTY Co., Ltd., we have explored ways to contribute to both the Expo and its theme of “Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” resulting in an unprecedented level of communication. We hope that the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan will not only enhance communications but also strengthen collaboration with our group company.
TOYO BEAUTY CO., LTD.
Thanks to our sponsorship of the pavilion, several of our partner companies have inquired about potential collaborations, and we have kept touch with them. Although these interactions have not yet led to concrete results, they have been a major source of ideas and inspiration for understanding and engaging with the Expo. We greatly appreciate them, as they have also been extremely beneficial to our internal Expo Promotion Project Team.
SHIONO KORYO KAISHA, LTD.
We will of course work together with Group companies that are engaged in related projects; in addition, our PR Department is highly motivated to use the Expo as a starting point for energizing both its internal and external communications.
