OSAKA: The Malaysia Pavilion at World Expo 2025 Osaka officially closed its doors on Oct 13, marking the end of its six-month exhibition, in conjunction with the expo’s closing ceremony.
After its 26-week showcase, the Malaysia Pavilion garnered RM24.45bil in potential trade and investment deals, overachieving the RM13bil target by 188%.
This success was driven by a whole-of-government approach, bringing together 21 federal ministries with 72 agencies and 10 state governments with 80 agencies, to deliver a unified and high-impact presence on the world stage.
It was also aided by the participation of 461 Malaysian companies across diverse industries and 1,555 business meetings with particularly strong contributions from green technology, construction and professional services, chemical and chemical products, ICT and services, and halal products and services.
Malaysia also strengthened its role as a platform for international cooperation, facilitating the signing of over 70 memoranda of understanding, agreements and cooperation, valued at RM6.04bil.
The Malaysia Pavilion at expo 2025 Osaka came alive with vibrant cultural showcases that delighted visitors from around the world. From traditionalperformances and craft demonstrations to culinary highlights, the pavilion offered an immersive glimpse into Malaysia’s rich heritage and creativity.
Held on the man-made Yumeshimanaka island in Osaka Bay, the expo ran from April 14 to Oct 13. It was the second time the Osaka prefecture hosted a World Expo.
Centred around the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives”, the expo served as a platform for global exchange and dialogue, and an international display of culture.
The Malaysia Pavilion was themed “Weaving a Future in Harmony” to showcase the nation’s innovation, culture and sustainable industry.
It was aligned with key national policies such as the New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) 2030, National Trade Blueprint, Madani Economy, National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) and the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP).
In attendance at the pavilion’s closing ceremony were Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry secretary-general and Expo 2025 Malaysia Pavilion commissioner-general Datuk Hairil Yahri Yaacob, Malaysian Ambassador to Japan Datuk Shahril Effendi Abd Ghany, Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) chief executive officer Datuk Seri Mohd Mustafa Abdul Aziz, Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) chief executive officer Datuk Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim Sikh Abdul Majid and Malaysia Pavilion director Ellyza Mastura Ahmad Hanipiah.
“After 184 days, it is now time for us to draw the curtains on Malaysia’s participation at Expo 2025 Osaka. The pavilion has been a platform to showcase not only our culture, but also our economic strength and commitment to innovation,” said Hairil Yahri.
“The collaborations and agreements fostered here laid the groundwork for future investments, technology transfer and sustainable growth.”
Hairil Yahri added that the pavilion’s impact on trade, investment and cultural diplomacy has been instrumental in achieving national goals under the NIMP 2030, NETR, 13MP 2026–2030 and the Madani Economy.
Additionally, Shahril Effendi said that Expo 2025 Osaka served as an important platform to deepen Malaysia-Japan relations and create new avenues for cooperation in semiconductors, renewable energy, the digital economy and environmental sustainability.
The flying roti canai shows were a crowd favourite at the Malaysia Pavilion. The dish was also crowned #1 most delicious at expo 2025 Osaka by Yomiuri TV.
“Our partnership with Japan remains particularly significant. To date, Malaysia has recorded more than 2,800 projects with Japanese companies, with investments valued at RM105.9bil, creating 340,000 jobs. The pavilion has reaffirmed this relationship, while also opening new avenues of cooperation in green technology, digitalisation and innovation,” he said.
Enhancing bilateral cooperation
To further strengthen trade relations between Malaysia and Japan, Mida and Matrade exchanged a memorandum of cooperation (MoC) with the Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro) during the closing ceremony.
The MoC aims to deepen bilateral economic ties and foster increased trade, investment and technological exchange between the two nations.
Sikh Shamsul said the signing represents a renewed commitment to a partnership that has proven its value through decades of close collaboration.
“Mida and Jetro have worked closely together for decades, organising investment missions, business matching sessions and promotional investment events.
“The MoC takes that relationship to greater heights by formalising our collaboration into a structured, three-year framework with clear objectives to facilitate investment promotion, promote company linkages (especially for SMEs), provide mature market entry support and exchange information on emerging sectors,” he said.
Mohd Mustafa said the MoC will facilitate stronger trade linkages, bridging business communities in both countries.
The pavilion saw 3.51 million visitors walk through its doors in six months.
“Matrade’s collaboration with Jetro was first formalised in 2016 and has been instrumental in deepening trade and investment linkages between Malaysia and Japan.
“This renewal reaffirms our shared commitment to strengthen bilateral economic cooperation in both new and strategic areas, deepen trade promotion and market access, and connect Malaysian exporters with Japanese buyers and investors.”
Malaysia Pavilion
The pavilion recorded a total of 3.51 million visitors across its six-month participation, surpassing its original target of 1.5 million visitors by 234%.
Key attractions that enticed visitors were cultural shows, culinary demonstrations, business meetings and our fabled “Malaysian Hospitality”.
Malaysia’s famed breakfast staple, roti canai, was a hit with visitors, with numerous flying roti canai shows held for guests. The dish was also crowned #1 Most Delicious at Expo 2025 Osaka by Yomiuri TV.
The pavilion also featured the Tree of Harmony art installation, a 10m-tall spiralling bamboo structure with 270 handwoven leaves, created by renowned Malaysian artist Red Hong Yi. The installation featured leaves made from recycled paper and plastic, interwoven with natural elements such as screw pine, bamboo and rattan.
Additionally, the pavilion generated excellent momentum for Visit Malaysia 2026. Since the expo’s launch, there has been a 16.2% increase in Japanese visitors to Malaysia, with 219,389 arrivals.
Japanese visitors to the pavilion were particularly intrigued by our cultural experiences, and food diversity and authenticity.
Be it the Songket-inspired architecture, the cultural performances, or the renowned roti canai showcases, pavilion director Ellyza Mastura Ahmad Hanipiah said that the pavilion’s success highlighted the authentic presentation of Malaysian hospitality, which resonated with millions of global visitors.
“The Malaysia Pavilion has been a home where our visions, ideas and partnerships came alive. As we lower the Jalur Gemilang, we carry forward the spirit of harmony and collaboration that will continue to shape Malaysia’s story on the world stage moving forward,” she said.
AloJapan.com