Expo 2027 Belgrade Japan Pavilion Announced Official Participation Contract Signed and Two Promotional Ambassadors Appointed

1. The Government of Japan’s Participation in Expo 2027 Belgrade

Under the theme “Play for Humanity: Sport and Music for All,” Expo 2027 Belgrade will be held from Saturday, May 15, 2027, through Sunday, August 15, 2027, in the City of Belgrade, the Republic of Serbia, as an exhibition recognized by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE). The Government of Japan will officially participate in Expo 2027 Belgrade, with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) as the lead ministry, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) as the deputy lead ministry, and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) as a participating organization.

The theme of the Japan Pavilion at Expo 2027 Belgrade is "Play and Connect, Together, Playful Spirit of Japan." Presented by Japan, the host country of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, the pavilion builds upon the legacy of the Expo, such as "Designing Future Society for Our Lives" and "Unity in Diversity," and is positioned as a platform to further develop these concepts.

2. Signing for official participation in Expo 2027 Belgrade

The signing ceremony took place at 14:00 (local time) on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at the Expo 2027 Playground in Belgrade.

Ms. YOSHIMURA Sachiko, Commissioner of the Japanese Section, Expo 2027 Belgrade, signed the official participation contract with the organizer, Expo 2027 BELGRADE d.o.o., in the presence of H.E. Mr. Lazar Radević, Minister of Trade of the Republic of Serbia, and H.E. Mr. TSUTSUMI Takahiro, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Serbia.

Comment from Commissioner of the Japanese Section, YOSHIMURA Sachiko

Inspired by the Expo theme, “Play for Humanity,” the Japan Pavilion will feature the theme: “Play and Connect, Together – The Playful Spirit of Japan” We hope that the Japan pavilion will be a place where diverse forms of Japanese play allow visitors from Serbia and around the world to connect, meet new people, and make new discoveries.

3. Mr. SHIMURA Kenichi and Ms. NAKAJIMA Sachiko were appointed as Promotional Ambassadors for the Japan Pavilion

The Japan Pavilion’s theme at Expo 2027 Belgrade is: “Play and Connect, Together – Playful Spirit of Japan.” To promote this theme globally, the Japan pavilion will appoint promotional ambassadors who are able to connect Japan and Serbia—and the world—through sports, music, and culture.

To this end, the Japan Pavilion has appointed the following as the first group of ambassadors:

• Mr. SHIMURA Kenichi (conductor)
• Ms. NAKAJIMA Sachiko (musician, mathematician, STEAM educator)

Mr. SHIMURA performed concerts at the Serbia Pavilion at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai and has recently been appointed principal guest conductor of the Serbian Philharmonic Orchestra in 2026. Renowned for conducting concerts featuring music from Japanese animation and video games, Mr. SHIMURA has gained popularity in Serbia as well.

Ms. NAKAJIMA served as the producer of the thematic project Playground of Life: Jellyfish Pavilion at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. Even before the Expo, she has been leading life-enhancing co-creation initiatives through play, learning, sports, and the arts to help people experience the joy and thrill of living. Recently, she has been actively engaged in Japan-Serbia cultural exchanges. She will be performing with traditional Japanese Noh ensembles in Serbia.

Comments from the Ambassadors

Mr. SHIMURA Kenichi

Over the years, anime and game music have allowed me to engage and build meaningful connections with many Serbian musicians and audiences. I am truly honored to serve as a promotional ambassador for the Japan Pavilion at the upcoming Expo in Belgrade, a place with which I share a personal connection. I hope to turn music into a platform for Japan, Serbia, and the world to connect, and in which I can also express myself. I look forward to seeing you in Belgrade!

Profile

Mr. SHIMURA has performed with orchestras both in Japan and internationally, including Serbia. Since 2013, he has focused on conducting and producing concerts featuring music from Japan’s media arts, including animation and video games, with over 300 performances in 52 cities worldwide. In 2026, he was named principal guest conductor of the Serbian Philharmonic Orchestra.

Ms. NAKAJIMA Sachiko

The Jellyfish Pavilion at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai embodied the idea that having a spirit of play following your inner flow is essential to life and creativity. We wish to carry forward the bonds of friendship created at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai into the future at Expo 2027 Belgrade, which is the first World Expo centered on the concept of play. Here, we seek to cultivate a space where various forms of play in everyday life in Japan—music, performing arts, crafts, mathematics, technology and learning—attract and inspire people from diverse backgrounds to gather and co-create the future together. See you in Serbia!

Profile

While still in high school, Ms. NAKAJIMA became the first Japanese female gold medalist at the International Mathematical Olympiad. After earning her bachelor’s degree from the Department of Mathematics of the School of Science at the University of Tokyo, she has been active on the world stage, performing as a jazz pianist, composer, mathematician, educator, and media artist.

In 2017, she founded steAm Inc., promoting STEAM education both in Japan and abroad. She has served on various educational committees in Japan, including those of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Agency for Cultural Affairs, METI, and local governments.

At Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, she served as the theme project producer and produced the signature pavilion, Playground of Life: Jellyfish Pavilion.

Related Link

• Japan Pavilion Basic Plan for Expo 2027 Belgrade Formulated
• Logo and Symbol for the Japan Pavilion at Expo 2027 Belgrade Announced

Divisions in Charge

• International Exhibitions Promotion Office, Commerce and Service Industry Policy Group

• Public Relations Office of the Japan Pavilion, Expo 2027 Belgrade (within Material Inc.)