Year End 2025

On December 15, the S&T Diplomatic Circle Kansai convened to celebrate a remarkable year of science diplomacy and innovation, executed in parallel with Expo 2025 Osaka. Through collaboration with the Kansai Consular Corps members, the Circle orchestrated 11 high-impact visits throughout the year, bridging government, academia, and the private sector to foster a robust and open science diplomacy network.​

This year’s program offered diplomatic representatives exclusive insights into Japan’s cutting-edge research and corporate landscape. Highlights included strategic visits to the Expo 2025 Corporate Pavilions of Panasonic, Sumitomo Corporation, NTT West, and Mitsubishi Corporation, as well as immersive tours of the Hiroshi Ishiguro Signature Pavilion. The delegation also engaged with industry leaders at Kyocera Corporation and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, while deepening their understanding of AI and robotics at the Microsoft AI Co-Innovation Lab in Kobe and the TMSUK Robotics Lab in Kyoto.​

For the Grand Finale, S&TDC members gathered for a festive review of these collective achievements. German Consul General Melanie Saxinger delivered an opening address, underscoring the value of international collaboration. Dr. Felix Moesner, Swiss Consul and S&TDC Kansai Chairman, then presented a summary of the year's milestones, reflecting on the strengthening of the 'open science diplomacy' network. The evening concluded with a celebratory toast by Ambassador Misawa from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA), joined by over 35 members and key stakeholders, including representatives from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) Kansai.​

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Consul General Melanie Saxinger (Germany) and Dr. Felix Moesner (Switzerland) for hosting this memorable year-end event and to all our colleagues for their active engagement throughout 2025.