Parliamentary Vice-Minister Yoshida Delivers Remark at WDO World Design Assembly Tokyo 2023

1. Overview of WDO

WDO—the former International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID)—is a non-governmental organization with special consultative status granted by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It is one of the world’s largest international design organizations, in which about 180 design-related associations, educational institutions, companies, and other organizations from about 40 countries and regions have acceded as members. WDO has been advocating designs for a better world and promoting and sharing knowledge on innovation led by industrial designs that enhance the economic, social, cultural, and environmental quality of life.

2. WDO World Design Assembly Tokyo 2023

Since its inauguration in 1959, the World Design Assembly (WDA) has been held every other year worldwide, making it a design conference with a history of over 60 years. The 2023 conference returns to Japan after a gap of 34 years as the third it has hosted, following one in Kyoto in 1973 and another in Nagoya in 1989.

Theme of the 2023 conference: Design Beyond

Object

Comprehensively gather the world's wisdom to discover the direction the designs of tomorrow should follow

Details

The 2023 conference aims to provide opportunities to hold presentations on study and discussions to solve challenges faced by humans today and offer ideal approaches for a better society.

Sub-themes:

• Humanity - Designing from a new perspective on human identity
• Planet - Designing for environmental problem solutions
• Technology - Designing digital transformation
• Policy - Designing the future of design policies

3. Remarks delivered by Parliamentary Vice-Minister Yoshida (video message)

The opening ceremony on Saturday, October 28, featured remarks by Parliamentary Vice-Minister Yoshida delivered as a video message. He explained that Japan is a country in which designs are integrated into people’s everyday lives and that since the era of modernization a variety of Japanese companies have become sources of products, services pioneering global trends to support the world through the power of design. Also, he stated that Japan's stance as a “design-oriented country" is immutable.

Moreover, he noted that cross-border, hand-in-hand cooperation by orchestrating the power of designs is important for international society to overcome the many social challenges confronting it in recent years.

Related Link

• WDO World Design Assembly Tokyo 2023

Division in Charge

Design Policy Office, Commerce and Service Industry Policy Group