Press Conference by Prime Minister ISHIBA Shigeru regarding His Visit to the Venue of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan and Other Matters

(On the impressions that Prime Minister Ishiba had after visiting the venue of the Osaka-Kansai Expo just one week ahead of its opening, how Japan will promote its cutting-edge technologies based on AI, or artificial intelligence, to the world, and how it will seek to connect this to regional revitalization; and whether there is a specific timeframe for him to hold a telephone talk with President Trump, given the desire to do so within the next week that Prime Minister Ishiba expressed during a television appearance, and what he would ask President Trump to do if such a talk is realized)

I spent the whole day today, or rather, almost half a day, to visit and see the venue of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, just one week ahead of its opening. I was joined by Governor Yoshimura at the end. My straightforward impression is: “It's really done!” There have been various concerns, like whether it would really be ready in time, or if the transportation would work, but coming here a week ahead of its opening, I feel assured that it will definitely be ready for its opening. I hear that even for the 1970 Expo, the preparations were not fully finished until just a few hours before the opening ceremony. This time around as well, everything will surely be ready in time, and I was really impressed to see many things at the venue that represent the future, such as agricultural machinery like a robot that can do everything from plowing to harvesting in one unit. Seeing a motorcycle that looked like a running horse was also incredibly impressive. The human washing machine that was exhibited at the 1970 Expo impressed me and made me hope such a thing would become a reality, and this time around, an advanced version of it will be exhibited. Although I wasn't able to try it during my visit, I heard that Governor Yoshimura did so recently. So, I think the venue is filled with excitement and expectation for things that are sure to exist in the future. Since the 1970 Expo, air and land transportation have developed tremendously, including expressways, Shinkansen bullet trains and airplanes. Therefore, I believe this Expo will definitely be an opportunity to showcase various new aspects of Japan to the world, such as the Watt-Bit collaboration that integrates AI and electricity. I think that if you visit the Expo once, you will surely become a fan and feel it is worth spreading to the world and throughout Japan. 

Regarding the telephone talk with President Trump, given the time difference between Japan and the United States, we need to determine the most suitable time for it. Moreover, it’s not just about having a conversation, but we need to properly prepare our response as a nation to the various issues President Trump has raised, which are, of course, issues raised across the world. Just requesting that “Japan be an exception” wouldn’t work. Therefore, we need to properly prepare such things before holding the talk at a mutually convenient time. It could be next week at the earliest, but we need to finalize Japan’s immediate plan as soon as possible, while, of course, taking all necessary domestic measures. But negotiations with the U.S. should really be held with our idea presented as a package, so it will take some time. However, if we are to proceed, we must ensure its success.