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Saudi Arabia Reveals Expo 2025 Osaka Pavilion Design and Logo

Saudi Arabia's participation at Expo 2025 Osaka builds on the long-lasting relationship between Japan and Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia's participation at Expo 2025 Osaka builds on the long-lasting relationship between Japan and Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Reveals Expo 2025 Osaka Pavilion Design and Logo

Saudi Arabia's participation at Expo 2025 Osaka builds on the long-lasting relationship between Japan and Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia's participation at Expo 2025 Osaka builds on the long-lasting relationship between Japan and Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia unveiled its pavilion design and logo for Expo 2025 Osaka, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday.

The unveiling took place at a Saudi-hosted Cultural Gala dinner at Osaka's River Dojima Forum, held under the patronage of Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud.

The event, held on the sidelines of the Expo 2025 Osaka International Participants Meeting in Osaka, was attended by Mayor of Osaka Hideyuki Yokoyama and government delegates from Japan, Saudi Arabia, and officials from other Expo 2025 Osaka participant countries.

The Saudi Pavilion design and logo showcase the Kingdom's storied history. A journey from the culture, traditions and values that form the foundation of Saudi Arabia's identity, right through to the Kingdom's forward-looking transformation today, championing a better future for the world.

Saudi Arabia's participation at Expo 2025 Osaka builds on the long-lasting relationship between Japan and Saudi Arabia and the Cultural Gala celebrated increased investment, tourism and cultural exchange between the two countries.

Vice Minister of Culture and Chairman of the Executive Committee for Saudi Arabia at Expo 2025 Osaka Hamed bin Mohammed Fayez said: “With diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Japan first officially established in 1955, and the launch of Expo 2025 Osaka marking 70 years of official relations, the two nations share deep cultural traditions. Our heritage is both rooted in hospitality, generosity, a sense of community and a deep respect for others.”

“As Saudi Arabia progresses ahead with Vision 2030, fostering economic diversification and cultural exchange, we look forward to celebrating our shared values at Expo 2025 Osaka,” he added.

The pavilion's design was curated by leading architects Foster + Partners, signifying a celebration of the Saudi and Japanese relationship through heritage and architecture. The sustainable design pays tribute to Saudi Arabia's natural environment, blending the shapes of the desert with modern architectural elements, symbolizing a connection between historical legacy and future advancements.

With a strong emphasis on environmental responsibility, the design incorporates features to lower carbon emissions, uses energy-efficient lighting, implements rainwater harvesting, and is equipped with solar panels to produce clean energy.

The identity of Saudi Arabia at Expo 2025 Osaka was revealed through an innovative logo that seamlessly blends the word "Saudi" in the aesthetic of Japanese script within the Kingdom's map, depicted through Arabic calligraphy in a style reminiscent of Japanese penmanship. The unveiling of the logo complemented the architectural design of the pavilion.

CEO of the Architectural Arts and Design Commission Dr. Sumayyah Al-Sulaiman said: "The Saudi Arabia pavilion represents the harmony between Saudi and Japanese cultures, narrating a story of human spirit and innovation. This architectural feat showcases a commitment to authenticity, continuity, human-centric design, livability, and technological advancement while highlighting a firm dedication to sustainable practices."

Commissioner General for Saudi Arabia - Expo 2025 Osaka Othman Almazyad said: "Saudi Arabia's partnership with Japan paints a picture of an ambitious horizon. Building on our like-minded visions, the Kingdom's Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka reveals a nation undergoing an ambitious transformation - celebrating its rich traditions while embracing modern transformations. Today is an opportunity to demonstrate how the pavilion design embraces our shared journey, rooted in deep cultural heritage aimed at a progressive, inclusive future."

For nearly a century, Saudi Arabia and Japan have maintained a strategic partnership with both nations charting a path of mutual prosperity and the Gala dinner in Osaka recognized ever-growing economic ties.

Building on the transformative program of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 program, the joint Saudi-Japan Vision 2030 initiative, first signed in 2016, formalized multiple areas of economic convergence, with a rise in investments between the two nations since the agreement was signed, and multiple sectoral areas identified as priorities to build bilateral ties. The strategy bolsters both nations' strengths, underscoring a commitment to fostering innovation and heralding a new era of partnership.

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Gulf

Saudi Defense Minister: Time for STC to Withdraw from Yemen's Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Defense Minister: Time for STC to Withdraw from Yemen's Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman said on Saturday it “was time for the Southern Transitional Council in Yemen to listen to reason and prioritize public interest and unity of ranks and respond to the Saudi-Emirati mediation to end the escalation.”

In a post on the X platform, he called on the STC to withdraw its forces from the eastern Hadhramaut and al-Mahra provinces and restore control to the National Shield and local authorities.

Prince Khalid said Saudi Arabia formed the Arab coalition to restore legitimacy in Yemen to help the country reclaim control over all of its territories.

The liberation of southern provinces was a pivotal development towards that goal, he stressed.

Saudi Arabia “views the southern issue as fundamental” to Yemen and it will not “exploit it in conflicts that do not serve” the nation, he added.

The Kingdom had brought together all Yemeni components to the Riyadh conference to come up with a clear path for a comprehensive political solution, including the southern issue, he went on to say.

The conference paved the way for a “just solution to their cause through dialogue and without the use of forces.”

“Saudi Arabia approved the decision to move the base of power so that the southerners could have a greater role in state institutions. It consolidated partnership instead of elimination or imposing a status quo through forces. Saudi Arabia also presented Yemen with economic support, as well as development and humanitarian initiatives that helped ease the suffering of the people,” Prince Khalid added.

“Saudi Arabia and its partners in the coalition offered sacrifices with their Yemeni brothers in liberating Aden and other provinces,” he noted. “The Kingdom has always sought that these sacrifices be made in the name of reclaiming territories and restoring the state, not as a path towards new conflicts.”

It had hoped that these sacrifices would have been “invested in the security of all Yemeni people, not exploited for petty gains, whereby the unfortunate developments in Hadhramaut and al-Mahra since the beginning of December 2025 have led to the division in ranks that should be united against the enemy.”

“The developments have laid waste to the sacrifices of our sons and Yemeni people and have harmed the just southern issue,” stressed Prince Khalid.

He noted that several southern leaderships and figures have exhibited “awareness and wisdom in supporting efforts to end the escalation in Hadhramaut and al-Mahra and prevent the secure southern provinces from being dragged into futile conflicts.”

“They are aware of the major challenges facing Yemen and will not allow saboteurs to achieve their goals in the country and the region,” he remarked.

He declared that the “southern issue will remain part of any comprehensive political solution. The cause will not be neglected or marginalized. It should be resolved through consensus, adhering to commitments and building trust between all Yemeni segments, not through adventures that only serve everyone's enemy.”

Gulf

Arab Coalition: We Will Deal with Military Moves that Violate De-escalation Efforts

Coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Malki. (SPA)
Coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Malki. (SPA)
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Arab Coalition: We Will Deal with Military Moves that Violate De-escalation Efforts

Coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Malki. (SPA)
Coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Malki. (SPA)

Spokesman of the Arab coalition to support legitimacy in Yemen Brigadier General Turki al-Malki said on Saturday that “any military moves that violate de-escalation efforts will be dealt with directly to protect lives and ensure the success of Saudi and Emirati efforts.”

The statement is in response to a request by Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Dr. Rashad al-Alimi, who called for immediate steps to protect civilians in the eastern Hadhramaut and al-Mahra provinces in wake of the “grave and horrific” violations by members of the Southern Transitional Council (STC).

It is also in continuation of the strenuous joint efforts by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to de-escalate the situation and ensure the withdrawal of STC forces, who have been demanded to cede control to the National Shield forces and allow the local authorities to carry out their duties.

Malki underlined the Arab coalition’s continued firm support for the legitimate Yemeni government.

He also urged all sides to assume their national responsibility, exercise restraint and comply with efforts to reach peaceful solutions that preserve security and stability.

Gulf

Saudi Arabia Carries out Warning Strike on Yemen’s Hadhramaut, STC Says ‘Open to Coordination’

Southern forces patrol during a rally calling for South Yemen's independence, in the southern port city of Aden, Yemen, 25 December 2025. (EPA)
Southern forces patrol during a rally calling for South Yemen's independence, in the southern port city of Aden, Yemen, 25 December 2025. (EPA)
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Saudi Arabia Carries out Warning Strike on Yemen’s Hadhramaut, STC Says ‘Open to Coordination’

Southern forces patrol during a rally calling for South Yemen's independence, in the southern port city of Aden, Yemen, 25 December 2025. (EPA)
Southern forces patrol during a rally calling for South Yemen's independence, in the southern port city of Aden, Yemen, 25 December 2025. (EPA)

Saudi Arabia called for calm in eastern Yemen, urging an end to unilateral military moves and for the Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces to return to their former positions outside of the Hadhramaut and al-Mahra provinces.

Riyadh, meanwhile, demonstrated its stance on the ground by carrying out a warning air strike, informed sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The strike sought to deliver a message that it will not allow a new status quo to be imposed on the ground by force and that it will not allow the violation of institutional frameworks that handle security in the eastern provinces.

It warned that any further escalation will be met with firmer measures.

Meanwhile, the STC, in an attempt to justify its military moves, said they were in “response to calls from residents of the south” and an attempt to confront terrorist threats and block Houthi smuggling routes.

The STC added that it was “open to any coordination or arrangements with Saudi Arabia”, questioning the airstrike, which it said “does not serve understandings.”

Observers told Asharq Al-Awsat that Saudi Arabia will welcome the coordination and arrangements if they helped end the escalation, led to the withdrawal of the STC and allowed the National Shield forces and the local authority to take over Hadhramaut and al-Mahra without needing to resort to force.

They stressed that the strike will lead to delivering the clear message that Riyadh may impose red lines by force to prevent any escalation.

Sourced told Asharq Al-Awsat that any future settlement over restoring the unity of Yemeni ranks will condition a return to the former status quo.