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The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition (hereinafter referred to as “the Association”) is pleased to announce that TAKAHASHI Ran has been appointed as a Special Supporter, thus becoming part of a group of supporters of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan (hereinafter referred to as “the Expo”) who lend their support with promotional activities. (Appointed on 22 January, 2025)
Special supporter TAKAHASHI Ran is a professional volleyball player from the Kansai region and was selected for the Japan National Team while still a high school student. After entering university, he represented Japan in numerous world tournaments and also played in Italy’s Serie A SuperLega league, where his team was runner-up in the 2023-24 season. For the 2024-25 season he has moved to Suntory Sunbirds Osaka, which plays in Japan’s SV.League, where he is attracting international attention.
TAKAHASHI Ran will lend his support with various promotional activities for the Expo.
Profile of TAKAHASHI Ran
TAKAHASHI Ran was born in 2001 in Kyoto City. He started playing volleyball in the second year of primary school, and in his third year at Higashiyama High School, he won the Inter-High School runner-up title, the National Athletics Championship, and the Spring High School Volleyball Championship. In 2020, he was selected for the Japan men’s volleyball national team for the first time and also competed in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021. While he was still a university student in 2021, he played in Italy’s Serie A SuperLega league and has now been playing for Suntory Sunbirds Osaka since 2024.
Comment from TAKAHASHI Ran
I am very happy to be appointed as a Special Supporter of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan.
I am from Kyoto, and my team, the Suntory Sunbirds Osaka, is based in Osaka and has the Expo’s logo on its uniform, so I feel a deep connection to the Expo.
Just as there are no language barriers in sport, I am excited that the Expo will use the latest technology to transcend language barriers and let people from all over the world c
ommunicate with each other.
I will do my best to convey the appeal of the Expo and Japan to the world.
Commemorative photo at the inauguration ceremony:
(From left: KOBAYASHI Koji, Director General of Public Relations and Promotion Bureau, Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, TAKAHASHI Ran)
(For reference)
■ What is a “Special Supporter”?
Special Supporters are a group of supporters of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, made up of people, groups, characters, etc. with many fans that can use their influence to convey the appeal and philosophy of the Expo.
The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition will continue to increase the number of people interested in the Expo by having various people join as Special Supporters.