The World Expo opens this Sunday in Osaka, Japan, where Belgium will be showcasing its cutting-edge expertise in medical innovation rather than its traditional culinary staples. The Belgian pavilion, themed “Human Regeneration”, will focus on vaccines and life sciences.
Located on Yumeshima – the man-made “Dream Island” in Osaka Bay – the Expo site features a huge circular wooden structure nearly two kilometres in circumference, an architectural homage to Japanese carpentry. The Expo runs until 13 October and brings together 158 participating countries.
Medical innovation
The Belgian pavilion will be officially opened on Wednesday by Belgian doctor and former UN Under-Secretary-General Peter Piot and a performance by DJ Buscemi. Belgium’s focus on medical innovation is no coincidence. Home to global pharmaceutical companies such as Janssen, GSK and Pfizer, the country plays a key role in the global vaccine supply chain.
Waffles and fries may still be iconic, but our pharmaceutical reputation has taken on a life of its own
“Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Japan sees Belgium as the world’s vaccine hub,” says Justine Theunissen of BelExpo in Osaka. “Almost all the vaccines used here come from Belgium. Waffles and fries may still be iconic, but our pharmaceutical reputation has taken on a life of its own.”
Research and distribution
Belgium also excels in research and distribution. Each region is showcasing its own strengths in the pavilion.
- Flanders contributes Circle of Life, an exhibition on how technology improves health throughout life.
- Brussels highlights advances in medical robotics and artificial intelligence, with innovations from Axiles Bionics, a VUB spin-off developing state-of-the-art prosthetics.
- Wallonia focuses on AI in healthcare, with an emphasis on digital twins – virtual patient models that enable personalised treatment.
The pavilion itself is architecturally inspired by Kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken objects with gold, echoing the theme of regeneration. It was designed by a consortium led by Carré 7, a studio based in La Louvière, and extends over three floors.
