Press Release

The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition (hereinafter referred to as “the Association”) held a call for project proposals for the “Co-Design Challenge 2024”, a special program of the EXPO Co-creation project as part of the Future Society Showcase Project at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan.
The selected businesses and projects are detailed below. The selected projects will be developed under the supervision of designers working with the Association as Co-Design Challenge Advisors with the aim of implementing them at the Expo.

*The EXPO Co-Creation Project aims to create a movement in the world by providing opportunities, such as the TEAM EXPO 2025 program, for people from all over the world to think, gather, and exchange opinions, as well as providing opportunities for each individual to take action to participate in realising the future they envision.

■ Businesses and projects selected for “The Co-Design Challenge 2024”

　Proposal application period: 8 December, 2023 – 31 January, 2024
　A total of 36 proposals were received during the application period. The following 11 proposals were selected by the selection committee.
　(The underlined businesses are small-medium sized enterprises.)

① WOOD & DESIGN – Solving Local Issues through Chair Production Centered on “Forest, Wood, and Design”
　 Representative Company/Organisation: Asahikawa Furniture Industry Cooperative (Asahikawa City, Hokkaido)
　 Cooperating Companies/Organisations: CONDE HOUSE CO., LTD.

② & SPACE PROJECT
　 Representative Company/Organisation: ADDReC Inc. (Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo)
　 Cooperating Companies/Organisations: Kushiro SES Co., Ltd., Gomei Co.,Ltd.,Tokuchi Furniture Kogyo Co., Ltd., Ningen Inc., Hito to Neiro Inc. ,
　 Leif.designpark co.,ltd. , DOKASEN Inc., SATOKEN Co., ltd, 11 inc.

③ Trash bins revitalizing forests and communities by utilizing wood and bamboo
　 Representative Company/Organisation: ORIKANE Co.,Ltd. (Nagoya City, Aichi)
　 Cooperating Companies/Organisations: Eight-Japan Engineering Consultants Inc., Teramoto Corp., Ltd, NAKAWOOD Co., Ltd. ,
　 Panasonic Production Engineering Co., Ltd.

④ Designing the future of “sign stands”- Recycling-oriented Manufacturing Utilising Disaster Waste Materials-
　 Representative Company/Organisation: Kanamori Alloy Co., ltd. (Kanazawa City, Ishikawa)
　Cooperating Companies/Organisations: ―

⑤ “HOTABENCH”, a bench made from discarded scallop shells.
　 Representative Company/Organisation: Koushi Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. (Osaka City, Osaka)
　 Cooperating Companies/Organisations: SHIMIZU CORPORATION

⑥ “Exhibition stands” created from recycled paper that are lightweight, strong, and can be designed in a variety of designs.
　Representative Company/Organisation: Sustainable Generation Incorporated Association (Koryo-cho, Kitakatsuragi-gun, Nara)
　 Cooperating Companies/Organisations: AKURAM.Inc, TAKAGI-HOSO CO.,LTD, PACK in TAKAGI CO.,LTD

⑦ Designing the future of Shigaraki – Creation of ceramic culture using recycled resources and digital technology –
　 Representative Company/Organisation: Shigaraki Pottery Industry Cooperative(Shigaraki-cho, Koka City, Shiga)
　 Cooperating Companies/Organisations: Marushi-seitou Co., Ltd., Meizan-togyo Co., Ltd.

⑧ A Stool where the maker and user co-create lasting memories
　 Representative Company/Organisation: Design Week Kyoto Executive Committee (Kyoto City, Kyoto)
　 Cooperating Companies/Organisations: Mitsuba, Ltd., MIZOKAWA Co., Ltd.

⑨ Designing the ‘Chair’ of the Future – a chair made from a single board with a yield ratio of 99%.
　 Representative Company/Organisation: DotsandLines Co., Ltd. (Sanjo City, Niigata)
　 Cooperating Companies/Organisations: Kumakura Shirring Ltd.

⑩ Patio stools and tables made from scraps -LIVEISM! Breathing life into something –
　 Representative Company/Organisation: Tomoyasu Works Co., Ltd. (Yao City, Osaka)
　Cooperating Companies/Organisations: ―

⑪ Furniture making in a picture frame workshop, delivering a cut-out view of the mountain range.
　 Representative Company/Organisation: Fuchu-no-Antenna (Fuchu City, Hiroshima)
　 Cooperating Companies/Organisations: DENTOU KOUGEI CO.,LTD

*For an overview of the selected companies and projects, please refer to the attached materials.
(Attachment) Overview of the selected companies and projects in the Co-Design Challenge 2024(Japanese only)

*Concrete implementation of each project at the Expo site is still under discussion.
The content of the projects may change due to future discussions.

■ Co-Design Challenge 2024 Selection Committee Members (alphabetical order)
　 KONISHI Toshiyuki (POOL inc. Creative Director)
　 SAITO Seiichi (Director of Panoramatiks; Director of the Expo Co-Creation Program of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan.)
　 TANABE Kiyoto (Expo Site Operation Assistant Producer)}
　 UCHIDA Yuki (Director, Re: public Inc ; Representative, YET)
　 YAMAIDE Junya (CEO, Yamaide Art Office Inc.

■ Comments from Selection Committee
① WOOD & DESIGN – Solving Local Issues through Chair Production Centered on “Forest, Wood, and Design”
　 Committee member SAITO:
　 “We felt a strong desire to expand the use of local wood in Asahikawa furniture. In terms of product quality, the system led by the Furniture Industry Cooperative was also appreciated. We also look forward to the development of the project through collaboration with the Expo and the Asahikawa Design Week.”

② & SPACE PROJECT
　 Committee member YAMAIDE:
　 “This proposal is a project to utilise and upcycle space rocket waste to create new products. While there will be various products in the venue, I felt it would be wonderful to have a distinctive object installed. I also found their unfinished form interesting and felt it had high potential. It is a very exciting plan.”

③ Trash bins revitalizing forests and communities by utilizing wood and bamboo
　 Committee Member UCHIDA
　 “This is a unique initiative involving companies of various attributes and sizes, and a proposal to utilise the timber from Tokushima’s forests and upcycle unused timber. We hope that the products to be produced this time will be an example and an opportunity to present possibilities for further development. We also hope that the experience project will make the most of the participating companies’ strengths and result in a project that allows visitors to experience the upcycling of forest resources.”

④ Designing the future of “sign stands”- Recycling-oriented Manufacturing Utilising Disaster Waste Materials-
　Committee Member UCHIDA:
　 “This a proposal with a strong message to recycle products that have been scrapped as a result of natural disasters by using metal refining technology. We hope that the project will be built through better partnerships on the ground, including collection methods and the content of the messages. We think it will be necessary to carefully reorganise the project according to the situation, taking into account the local situation and what kind of message should be implemented, but we hope that it can be realised as a better opportunity.”

⑤ “HOTABENCH”, a bench made from discarded scallop shells.
　 Committee Member TANABE:
　 “I felt that the proposed new environmentally friendly materials were unique and interesting. I also found it attractive and evaluated it in terms of both business certainty and local revitalisation. They have a solid background and are a project that we look forward to developing in the future.”

⑥ “Exhibition stands” created from recycled paper that are lightweight, strong, and can be designed in a variety of designs.
　 Committee Member KONISHI:
　 “I evaluated this proposal as an interesting material approach. It is attractive in that it offers a solution to a problem and a design proposal at the same time. I have high expectations that it will be interesting to implement something like a craft project with local elementary schools.”

⑦ Designing the future of Shigaraki – Creation of ceramic culture using recycled resources and digital technology –
　 Committee Member TANABE:
　 “We liked this proposal because we felt it had the potential to establish a unique business scheme. As for the trial plan, we can expect new developments because they are focusing on recycling. We hope that the project will focus more on the aspect of regional revitalisation.”

⑧ A Stool where the maker and user co-create lasting memories.
　 Committee Member YAMAIDE:
　 “This is a proposal for a stool to be created using old timber from old houses and furniture. The story is interesting and the project is implemented in an area with extremely high potential for experience planning, so we evaluated it with high expectations.”

⑨ Designing the ‘Chair’ of the Future – a chair made from a single board with a yield ratio of 99%.
　 Committee Member SAITO:
　 “I thought that the idea and scheme of manufacturing with producing as little waste as possible was excellent. I am also looking forward to planning experiences in cooperation with “The Tsubame-Sanjo Factory Festival,” an open factory that already has many fans.”

⑩ Patio stools and tables made from scraps -LIVEISM! Breathing life into something –
　 Committee Member KONISHI:
　 “We liked this proposal because we thought it had a good perspective of involving one of the largest regionally integrated open factory events in the Kansai region, rather than simply ending with a single company. The design of the outcome and its invitation to experience the project was also good, and we could imagine a spill-over effect to regional companies.”

⑪ Furniture making in a picture frame workshop, delivering a cut-out view of the mountain range.
　 Committee Member SAITO:
　 “We found the challenge of a picture frame workshop making chairs interesting. We found it particularly attractive from the perspective of manufacturing and design. In the experience project, we hope to see further involvement of the local community that will lead to a legacy after the Expo.”

■About the “Co-Design Challenge 2024”
The Co-Design Challenge 2024 is a program with the following five features, based on the concept of using Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan as an opportunity to ‘designing future Japanese lifestyles(community)’ in each region of Japan.
1. The creation of something new taking the Expo as an opportunity.
2. Co-creation initiatives.
3. Initiatives from a design perspective.
4. Initiatives that do not require large capital.
5. Working on attracting visitors to the region.

In particular, we welcomed and selected initiatives that incorporated the following two elements with the aim of solving social problems and realising the future society that the Expo aims to create.
　(1) Provide sponsorship for items required for the Expo Co-Creation project, particularly for use at the Future Life Experience, “TEAM EXPO Pavilion” at the Expo site.
　(2) Manufacturing experience projects, including tours of manufacturing sites related to the goods provided (These projects are to be carried out outside the Expo site, not inside the Expo site.)

(Reference)
■ PRESS RELEASE
・“Expo Outcome Design Committee” established to examine the future society to be implemented in Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan from the viewpoint of design
https://www.expo2025.or.jp/news/news-20211202-02/ (Japanese)

・Expo Outcome Design Committee’s “EOD C Report” Released
https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/news/news-20220725-01/

・Applications for “Co-Design Challenge 2024” will start on Friday, December 8.
https://www.expo2025.or.jp/news/news-20231208-01/ (Japanese)

■Information on the Co-Design Challenge special program (CDC2023)
・About the Co-Design Challenge program
https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/co-creation-index/co-design-challenge/

・Interviews with the selected Co-Design Challenge program projects (the Association’s official website)
https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/cdc-report/

・Movie about the Co-Design Challenge program (the Association’s official YouTube account)
https://youtu.be/ioXHEMfsdi8 (Japanese)


(Enquiries)
Global Communication Department, Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition
Email: globalpr@expo2025.or.jp