President Donald Trump has named Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to lead the U.S. delegation to the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, on July 19.
The White House announced the presidential delegation on Wednesday, marking America’s high-level participation in the global exhibition.
Joining Bessent will be U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass and Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, along with USA Pavilion Commissioner General William E. Grayson, will round out the delegation.
The World Expo, held every five years, brings together nations to showcase technological innovations and cultural achievements. This year, 158 nations and 42 different international organizations, including UNICEF and UNESCO, are participating in the event. This year’s theme focuses on designing future society.
The concept of the expo is described as a “living lab,” a space where billions of “people around the world will not only view exhibits but will co-create our future society. … A place where the world’s knowledge such as cutting-edge technology will be brought together, used to create new ideas, and shared, all to help resolve global issues facing humankind.”
Past world expositions have helped launch groundbreaking technologies, including the elevator (New York Exhibition, 1853), the telephone (Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, 1876), as well as wireless telephones, electric cars, and moving sidewalks (Expo 1970, Osaka).
In addition to spotlighting new technologies, the expo will feature cultural events, festivals, parades, music and dance performances, and many other activities.
The Treasury Secretary’s leadership of the delegation signals economic priorities in U.S.-Japan relations. Both nations share extensive trade partnerships and strategic security interests in the Indo-Pacific region.
Expo 2025 Osaka, which began on April 13 and runs through October 13, is anticipated to draw millions of international visitors.
The U.S. pavilion will feature American innovation and cultural exhibits throughout the six-month event.