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Saudi Tourism Minister Visits Kingdom's Pavilion at Osaka Expo, Meets His Japanese Counterpart

Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb and other officials at the Osaka 2025 Expo. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb and other officials at the Osaka 2025 Expo. (SPA)
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Saudi Tourism Minister Visits Kingdom's Pavilion at Osaka Expo, Meets His Japanese Counterpart

Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb and other officials at the Osaka 2025 Expo. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb and other officials at the Osaka 2025 Expo. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb met with Japanese Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Hiromasa Nakano in Tokyo on the sidelines of a visit to the Saudi Pavilion at Osaka 2025 Expo, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday.

Al-Khateeb formally invited Japan’s government and tourism leaders to participate in the 26th UN Tourism General Assembly and the inaugural TOURISE Summit to be held in Riyadh in November. These two global events will reinforce Saudi Arabia’s role as a convener of international collaboration and tourism innovation.

A statement from the Saudi Tourism Authority, said the minister toured the Osaka 2025 Expo, where Saudi Arabia’s world-class tourism offering and its commitment to sustainability, innovation, and international collaboration. He also visited the pavilions of Japan and Spain.

A central highlight at the Expo 2025 Osaka was the TOURISE networking reception at the Saudi Arabia Pavilion, where Al-Khateeb received and engaged with an influential group of leaders from the public and private sectors.

The event highlighted the TOURISE platform and invited Japanese partners to take a pivotal role in the inaugural forum as well as the UNWTO General Assembly in Riyadh.

The minister stated: "Saudi Arabia’s tourism transformation is the pride of the Arab world and a beacon for the global sector. Our presence in Osaka and our partnership with Japan reflect how Vision 2030 is unlocking opportunity, attracting investment, and building bridges between cultures."

"As we prepare to host the world’s tourism leaders in Riyadh, we invite our Japanese and global partners to join us in shaping the future of tourism, rooted in innovation, sustainability, and shared prosperity," he added.

"Saudi Arabia’s approach, backed by more than $800 billion in giga-projects and infrastructure, including NEOM, The Red Sea, and Diriyah, is positioning the Kingdom as the fastest-growing tourism destination worldwide, with the ambitious goal of welcoming 150 million visitors by 2030. This momentum was evident at Osaka 2025 Expo through dynamic cultural showcases and impactful meetings," he stressed.

Saudi Ambassador to Japan and Commissioner General of the Saudi Pavilion Dr. Ghazi Faisal Binzagr said: "Japanese visitors to our pavilion have shared their curiosity and interest in visiting Saudi Arabia. With each meaningful exchange, we connect through our culture and traditions between Saudi Arabia and Japan. We look forward to welcoming Japan and the rest of the world to share with us our hospitality, culture, and world-class tourism destinations."

CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority and Vice Chair of TOURISE Fahd Hamidaddin said: "Saudi Arabia is reshaping the tourism landscape, not just for our nation, but for the region and the world."

"With TOURISE, we are building a global platform for innovative partnerships and shared investment. The world will witness this transformation in Riyadh in November, when we convene leaders from every continent to chart a new course for tourism. Japan’s participation will be integral to this vision," he stated.

The outcomes of this visit directly support the Saudi Vision 2030 goals, driving economic diversification, creating thousands of new jobs, and reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s soft power and leadership on the international stage. As Riyadh prepares to welcome the world at the UN Tourism General Assembly and TOURISE, Saudi Arabia is ready to shape the future of global tourism.

The Saudi Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to offering unique and pioneering cultural experiences both locally and globally, fostering connections between local heritage and the wider world.

The pavilion's design is inspired by the Kingdom's traditional and urban architecture, embodying its history, culture, and heritage.

The Saudi Pavilion recently received the Gold Award at the New York Architectural Design Awards in the Cultural Architecture – Interactive and Experiential Spaces category, in recognition of its distinctive design that captures the essence of Saudi culture.

It showcases the Kingdom’s remarkable transformation under Saudi Vision 2030, emphasizing sustainability, innovation, and international cooperation.

Since its opening, the pavilion has welcomed over two million visitors, establishing itself as one of the most popular attractions and strengthening Saudi Arabia’s reputation as a global tourist destination.

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Students Discover 1,800-Year-Old Roman Villa Beneath School Gym

Students' curiosity uncovered what had lain hidden beneath the earth for centuries. (Special Superintendency of Rome)
Students' curiosity uncovered what had lain hidden beneath the earth for centuries. (Special Superintendency of Rome)
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Students Discover 1,800-Year-Old Roman Villa Beneath School Gym

Students' curiosity uncovered what had lain hidden beneath the earth for centuries. (Special Superintendency of Rome)
Students' curiosity uncovered what had lain hidden beneath the earth for centuries. (Special Superintendency of Rome)

Archaeologists in Rome have uncovered the remains of a luxury Roman residence dating to the second century CE beneath a high school near the Colosseum, after students' curiosity about mysterious underground rooms led to a formal excavation of the site.

According to Live Science, students at Liceo Scientifico Cavour, located just steps from the Colosseum, had long shared stories about hidden chambers beneath the school's gymnasium. What began as rumors ultimately led to a remarkable archaeological discovery.

During unofficial explorations of the underground spaces, students came across evidence of an ancient structure beneath the school.

After informing a teacher, who alerted the relevant authorities, archaeologists were called in to investigate the site. Excavations carried out earlier this year revealed that the dark passageways and partially lit rooms formed part of an elaborate Roman residence dating back nearly 1,800 years.

Liceo Scientifico Cavour occupies a building near the Colosseum that originally served as the headquarters of a Catholic missionary organization. When the complex was constructed in the late nineteenth century, preliminary excavation work uncovered part of an ancient domus, the term used for a large Roman urban residence.

The area is among the most historically significant parts of ancient Rome. Prominent figures including Cicero, Pompey and Octavian, later known as Augustus, are known to have lived there. Yet the district remains only partially understood by archaeologists because layers of modern construction cover much of the ancient landscape.

Researchers say the discovery offers a rare opportunity to study a section of ancient Rome that has remained largely inaccessible, while shedding new light on the city's residential life during the height of the Roman Empire.

Culture

Saudi, Malaysian Translation Associations Sign MoU to Promote Cultural Exchange

The MoU aims to enhance cooperation in the fields of translation and publishing, promote cultural and knowledge exchange, and support scientific and academic efforts of mutual interest. SPA
The MoU aims to enhance cooperation in the fields of translation and publishing, promote cultural and knowledge exchange, and support scientific and academic efforts of mutual interest. SPA
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Saudi, Malaysian Translation Associations Sign MoU to Promote Cultural Exchange

The MoU aims to enhance cooperation in the fields of translation and publishing, promote cultural and knowledge exchange, and support scientific and academic efforts of mutual interest. SPA
The MoU aims to enhance cooperation in the fields of translation and publishing, promote cultural and knowledge exchange, and support scientific and academic efforts of mutual interest. SPA

The Saudi Arabian Translation Association and the Malaysian Translators Association have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at Saudi Arabia's pavilion, the guest of honor at the 2026 Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair.

The MoU aims to enhance cooperation in the fields of translation and publishing, promote cultural and knowledge exchange, and support scientific and academic efforts of mutual interest.

It also seeks to facilitate the exchange of expertise and specialized consultations, contributing to advancing the translation sector and strengthening its presence on the international cultural scene.

The memorandum represents an important step toward building sustainable professional and cultural partnerships that contribute to strengthening civilizational dialogue between Saudi Arabia and Malaysia, while opening the door to joint projects and initiatives that support translation activities and expand the exchange of literature and knowledge between the two languages.

The MoU comes as part of the cultural momentum witnessed by the Kingdom’s pavilion at the 2026 Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair, led by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission through a diverse cultural and knowledge-based program that highlights the growing stature of Saudi culture and its presence in international forums.

This underscores the importance of international book fairs as effective platforms for enhancing cultural cooperation and signing agreements and partnerships that contribute to expanding prospects for joint work among cultural and knowledge institutions around the world.

Culture

Saudi Heritage Commission Uncovers Over 1,700 Artifacts at Ancient Al-Juhfah Miqat Site

Discoveries included diverse fragments used in daily life, six pottery kilns, a water channel - SPA
Discoveries included diverse fragments used in daily life, six pottery kilns, a water channel - SPA
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Saudi Heritage Commission Uncovers Over 1,700 Artifacts at Ancient Al-Juhfah Miqat Site

Discoveries included diverse fragments used in daily life, six pottery kilns, a water channel - SPA
Discoveries included diverse fragments used in daily life, six pottery kilns, a water channel - SPA

Saudi Arabia's Heritage Commission completed the first season of its joint scientific mission with the University of Exeter at the ancient Al-Juhfah Miqat site, uncovering more than 1,700 artifacts, including pottery, glass, stone pieces, shells, and worked objects, confirming the site's significance along the Egyptian pilgrimage route.

Discoveries included diverse fragments used in daily life, six pottery kilns, a water channel believed to have served pilgrims and travelers, and 13 tombstones dating to the Umayyad and Abbasid periods. Some finds originated from the Levant, Egypt, and Ethiopia, reflecting the diverse origins of pilgrims who passed through this miqat, SPA reported.

Al-Juhfah Miqat is located 187 kilometers northwest of Makkah and has been an established miqat since the early Islamic period, associated with the Prophet's migration, and is known to have flourished in the second Hijri century, with water facilities and shops serving pilgrims.

These works are part of the Heritage Commission's efforts to survey and document archaeological sites along the Hijrah route between Makkah and Madinah, using advanced technologies to reveal the historical and civilizational depth of the Kingdom.