Visit of HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke and Stéphanie Obertin to Osaka

As part of Expo 2025, HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke and Stéphanie Obertin, Minister for Digitalisation and Minister for Research and Higher Education, led an economic mission to Osaka on 15, 16 and 17 July 2025. The mission was supported by a substantial economic delegation comprising more than 60 companies from various sectors of the Luxembourg economy.

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HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke

(fr. l. to r.) Jun Takahashi, Director of the iPS Cell Research and Application Centre at Kyoto University; Kenji Osafune, Deputy Director of the iPS Cell Research and Application Centre at Kyoto University; Kelvin Hui, Special Guest Speaker; HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke

(fr. l. to r.) Kelvin Hui, special guest speaker; HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke; Yann Pretemer, associate professor at the Designated Centre, originally from Luxembourg

(fr. l. to r.) Yann Pretemer, associate professor at the designated centre, originally from Luxembourg; HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke; Jun Takahashi, director of the Centre for iPS Cell Research and Application at Kyoto University

CiRA (Centre for iPS Cell Reseach and Application), University of Kyoto

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(fr. l. to r.) Yuriko Matsuno, Director General, Trade and Investment Office (LTIO) in Tokyo; Tim Kesseler, Advisor to HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke; n.c.; HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke; Steven Koener, Directorate for the Promotion of Foreign Trade and Investment, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade

(fr. l. to r.) n.c. (security); HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke; Michel Leesch, Luxembourg Ambassador to Tokyo

Osaka Castle

On 15 July, HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke, accompanied by Luxembourg’s Ambassador to Japan, Michel Leesch, travelled to Kyoto to visit the Centre for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA) at Kyoto University, a globally recognised institution in the field of regenerative medicine. The delegation was welcomed by the President of Kyoto University, Nagahiro Minato, and the Director of CiRA, Professor Jun Takahashi. The visit provided the Luxembourg delegation with valuable insight into major advances in cell therapies, regenerative and personalised medicine, and showcased the cutting-edge technologies employed in CiRA’s laboratories.

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Iwatani Corporation – Guided tour of the company – Hydrogen station – Hydrogen refuelling experience with a Toyota fuel cell car

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(l. to r.) HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke; Hiroshi Fukushima, Senior Managing Officer, Iwatani Coroporation; Michel Leesch, Luxembourg Ambassador to Tokyo

(l. to r.) HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke; Hiroshi Fukushima, Senior Managing Officer, Iwatani Coroporation; Stéphanie Obertin, Minister for Digitalisation, Minister for Research and Higher Education

Iwatani Corporation – Guided tour of the company

Iwatani Corporation – Guided tour of the company – Liquid hydrogen laboratory

Iwatani Corporation – Company overview Iwatani Corporation – Question and answer session

Iwatani Corporation – Guided tour of the company – Hydrogen station – Hydrogen refuelling experience with a Toyota fuel cell car

On 16 July, HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke and Minister Stéphanie Obertin began the day with a visit to Iwatani Corporation, one of Japan’s leading industrial gas and energy infrastructure companies, notably in the field of hydrogen. The delegation was briefed on the company’s expertise across the hydrogen value chain — from production and transportation to storage and distribution. Following a guided tour of the facilities, potential avenues for collaboration between Iwatani Corporation and Luxembourg were discussed.

At the same time, a delegation from the Ministry for Digitalisation and the Ministry for Research and Higher Education, accompanied by a scientific delegation, visited Osaka Prefecture to learn more about the “Osaka Supercity Initiative” and to gain insight into the city’s data governance framework and smart city infrastructure.

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(l.to r.) HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke; André Hansen, Luxembourg’s Commissioner General for Expo 2025 Osaka and Chairman of the Management Board of Luxembourg @ Expo 2025 Osaka; Daniel Sahr, Director of the Luxembourg Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025; Nancy Braun, Deputy Director of the Luxembourg Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025

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His Royal Highness the Hereditary Grand Duke

(l. to r.) Noriyuki Kuroda, Director of the Japan Pavilion; HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke

(l. to r.) Noriyuki Kuroda, Director of the Japan Pavilion; HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke; Pierre Ferring, Director of Foreign Trade and Investment Promotion, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade; Michel Leesch, Luxembourg Ambassador in Tokyo; Tim Kesseler, Advisor to HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke.

(l. to r.) HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke; Noriyuki Kuroda, Director of the Japan Pavilion

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(l. to r.)HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke; José Andrés Torres Mora, Spain’s Commissioner General for Expo 2025 Osaka

(l. to r.) HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke; José Andrés Torres Mora, Spain’s Commissioner General for Expo 2025 Osaka; Paula Isabel Roure-Linhoff Carrión, Spain’s Deputy Commissioner General for Expo 2025 Osaka

(l. to r.) Paula Isabel Roure-Linhoff Carrión, Deputy Commissioner General of Spain for Expo 2025 Osaka; HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke; José Andrés Torres Mora, Commissioner General of Spain for Expo 2025 Osaka; André Hansen, Commissioner General of Luxembourg for Expo 2025 Osaka and President of the Luxembourg @ Expo 2025 Osaka Management Board

(l. to r.) José Andrés Torres Mora, General Commissioner of Spain for Expo 2025 Osaka; André Hansen, General Commissioner of Luxembourg for Expo 2025 Osaka and President of the Luxembourg @ Expo 2025 Osaka Management Board; HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke; Paula Isabel Roure-Linhoff Carrión, Deputy General Commissioner of Spain for Expo 2025 Osaka

(l. to r.) André Hansen, General Commissioner for Luxembourg at Expo 2025 Osaka and President of the Luxembourg @ Expo 2025 Osaka Management Board; HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke; Daniel Sahr, Director of the Luxembourg pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025

Visit from HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke to the Luxembourg pavilion – ACT I: PEOPLE

Visit from HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke to the Luxembourg pavilion – ACT II: IDEAS

Visit from HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke to the Luxembourg pavilion – ACT III: OUR HOME

Expo Osaka 2025 – Luxembourg Pavilion

To provide Luxembourg companies with an opportunity to connect with local economic players, an official reception was held, bringing together the Luxembourg and Japanese delegations, companies and institutions. The event featured speeches by HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke, Minister Stéphanie Obertin, Osaka Prefecture Vice Governor Shigeki Watanabe, and Fernand Ernster, President of the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce.

At Expo 2025 in Osaka, HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke and Stéphanie Obertin were welcomed at the Luxembourg Pavilion by Commissioner General André Hansen and Pavilion Director Daniel Sahr for a guided tour highlighting the pavilion’s core values, particularly its commitment to circularity. HRH and Minister Obertin also took the opportunity to meet with students from the Luxembourg School of Hospitality and Tourism (EHTL), who are responsible for the gastronomic component of the pavilion.

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(l. to r.) Stéphanie Obertin, Minister for Digitalisation, Minister for Research and Higher Education; Alain Hostert, Catering Operations Manager, Coordinator of the Luxembourg School of Hotel Management and Tourism (EHTL)

Guided tour by the Minister for Digitalisation, Minister for Research and Higher Education, Stéphanie Obertin

Briefing for the Luxembourg press with Stéphanie Obertin, André Hansen, Fernand Ernster and Carlo Thelen

Japan Pavilion – Guided tour of the pavilion by Stéphanie Obertin, Minister for Digitalisation, Research and Higher Education

Guided tour by the Minister for Digitalisation, Minister for Research and Higher Education, Stéphanie Obertin

(l. to r.) Alain Hostert, head of catering operations, coordinator of the Luxembourg School of Hospitality and Tourism (EHTL); Manon Jungen, head of protocol, Luxembourg pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka; Stéphanie Obertin, Minister for Digitalisation, Minister for Research and Higher Education; EHTL students

Guided tour by the Minister for Digitalisation, Minister for Research and Higher Education, Stéphanie Obertin

Stéphanie Obertin, Minister for Digitalisation, Minister for Research and Higher Education

Japan Pavilion – Guided tour of the pavilion by Stéphanie Obertin, Minister for Digitalisation, Research and Higher Education

(l. to r.) André Hansen, General Commissioner for Luxembourg at Expo 2025 Osaka and Chairman of the Luxembourg @ Expo 2025 Osaka Management Board; Stéphanie Obertin, Minister for Digitalisation, Minister for Research and Higher Education; Daniel Sahr, Director of the Luxembourg pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025

Stéphanie Obertin, Minister for Digitalisation, Minister for Research and Higher Education

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The official delegation continued their visit of the Expo site, notably exploring the “Grand Ring” — a striking, massive wooden structure measuring around 2 kilometres in circumference and 12 metres in height. The day concluded with a visit to the Japan Pavilion, hosted by the Expo’s host nation.

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Stéphanie Obertin, Minister for Digitalisation, Minister for Research and Higher Education

(fr. l. to r.) Lucien Czuga, comic book writer; Daniel Altmann, comic book artist

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Takeshi Hakamada, Founder and CEO of iSpace

S.A.R. le Grand-Duc héritier

(fr. l. to r.) Daniel Altmann, comic book artist ; Lucien Czuga, comic book writer ; HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke

(fr. l. to r.) HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke ; Takeshi Hakamada, founder and CEO of iSpace ; Stéphanie Obertin, Minister for Digitalisation, Minister for Research and Higher Education

(left) Stéphanie Obertin, Minister for Digitalisation, Minister for Research and Higher Education

Mathias Link, Deputy Director General of the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA)

In addition to the wider exhibition on space, a key highlight of the space-related segment of the economic mission was the “Space Afternoon” event, organised by the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA) at the Luxembourg Pavilion. On this occasion, HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke, Minister Stéphanie Obertin, Takeshi Hakamada (Founder and CEO of Japanese company ispace), and Mathias Link (Deputy CEO of LSA) all delivered speeches. Attendees also visited the “Space for Earth – How space contributes to our planet” exhibition, which showcased the vital role space plays in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (Agenda 2030). Attendees were able to view models of ispace’s lunar rover and lander—the former designed in Luxembourg.

The comic book “The Adventures of Renya”, created in collaboration with the LSA to raise awareness among young people about the importance of the space sector, was also unveiled. This was followed by a signing session with author and scriptwriter Lucien Czuga and illustrator Dan Altmann.

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(from left to right) Lucien Czuga, writer; Dan Altmann, illustrator and artist

(from left to right) Dan Altmann, illustrator and artist; Lucien Czuga, writer; Mathias Link, Deputy CEO, Luxembourg Space Agency; HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke; Stéphanie Obertin, Minister for Digitalisation, Minister for Research and Higher Education; Takeshi Hakamada, Founder & CEO of ispace, Inc.

(from left to right) Lucien Czuga, writer; Dan Altmann, illustrator and artist

(from left to right) Dan Altmann, illustrator and artist; Lucien Czuga, writer

On 17 July 2025, Minister Stéphanie Obertin began her day at the NTT Pavilion with a working meeting with representatives from NTT Data Management, followed by a visit to the NTT Pavilion, which focuses on the telecom infrastructure of the future. This immersive exhibition highlights how cutting-edge technology, sustainability, and human-centric design intersect. It showcases the IOWN (Innovative Optical and Wireless Network), a next-generation telecommunications system designed to transform digital infrastructure.

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(l. to r.) Yoichi Yamashita, Health Pavilion; n.c. (interpreter); Stéphanie Obertin, Minister for Digitalisation, Minister for Research and Higher Education

(l. to r.) Hiroyuki Baba, Director-General, Department of Commerce, Industry and Labour, Osaka Prefectural Government; Stéphanie Obertin, Minister for Digitalisation, Minister for Research and Higher Education

(l. to r.) Stéphanie Obertin, Minister for Digitalisation, Minister for Research and Higher Education; Gaston Schmit, First Government Adviser, General Coordination, Ministry for Digitalisation; Rika Nakazawa, Chief Commercial Innovation, NTT

(l. to r.) Stéphanie Obertin, Minister for Digitalisation, Minister for Research and Higher Education; Kentaro Hirose, NTT Pavilion

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(l. to r.) Kazuhiko Nakayama, Senior Executive Vice President and CFO, NTT DATA Group; Stéphanie Obertin, Minister for Digitalisation, Minister for Research and Higher Education; Gaston Schmit, First Government Adviser, General Coordination, Ministry for Digitalisation; Michael Mossal, CTO, NTT DATA

Luxembourg Pavilion

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(l. to r.) Christopher Hecker, Director of the German Pavilion; Stéphanie Obertin, Minister for Digitalisation, Minister for Research and Higher Education

German Pavilion

Swiss Pavilion

(l. to r.) Manuel Salchli, Commissioner General for Switzerland at Expo 2025 Osaka; Stéphanie Obertin, Minister for Digitalisation, Minister for Research and Higher Education

The minister then delivered the opening speech at the “Circular Economy Conference”, held at the Luxembourg Pavilion and dedicated to the transition towards a circular economy. Dedicated to circular construction and sustainability, the event brought together Luxembourgish and Japanese experts to exchange insights, using the pavilion itself as a concrete example of circular design.

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(l. to r.) Stéphanie Obertin, Minister for Digitalisation, Minister for Research and Higher Education; Romain Martin, Senior Government Adviser, General Coordination, Ministry for Research and Higher Education; Yann Pretemer, Associate Professor at the Designated Centre, originally from Luxembourg

Introductory remarks by Michel Leesch, Luxembourg’s ambassador to Tokyo

(l. to r.) Stéphanie Obertin, Minister for Digitalisation, Minister for Research and Higher Education; Gaston Schmit, First Government Advisor, General Coordination, Ministry for Digitalisation; Yasuyo Koga, Managing Director Sakura voyages; Toshihiko Koga, Managing Director Heylo-Tubes Europe

Address by HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke

(l. to r.) Shuma Okamura, PwC Consulting LLC; Captain Pierre Schroeder, aide-de-camp to the Grand Duke’s household; Michel Leesch, Luxembourg ambassador to Tokyo; interpreter; HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke.

(l. to r.) HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke; Michel Leesch, Luxembourg Ambassador to Tokyo

Address by Fernand Ernster, President of the Chamber of Commerce

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Official reception

Address by the Minister for Digitalisation, Minister for Research and Higher Education

Address by Shigeki Watanabe, Vice-Governor of Osaka

Finally, the minister visited several national pavilions, as well as the Health Pavilion, which is dedicated to technological advances in healthcare and medicine.

Press release by the Ministry for Digitalisation and the Ministry for Research and Higher Education