The following is excerpted from an interview with Shinji Inoue, minister in charge of the Osaka-Kansai Japan Expo 2025:
The Osaka-Kansai Japan Expo 2025 will not succeed unless Japan as a whole accelerates efforts to enhance momentum. I will be at the forefront of leading these efforts.
By the end of this year at the latest I'd like to receive the approval of the Bureau International des Expositions for our expo registration application that explains the event's detailed plans and draw up a basic plan for the expo.
Since I also serve as the state minister for science and technology policy, I'd like to promote Japan's science and technology at the expo. It might be good to try out various ideas, regarding the expo as a lab for experiments in digitization and artificial intelligence. We can provide and participate in expo activities not only at the physical locations but also online. I will make the event something that can be talked about for 50 years after the expo.
The Science Council of Japan, over which we hold jurisdiction, was established after World War II reflecting on the war. Because of this, I understand why the SCJ would not engage in research that could possibly be used for military purposes. As more than 70 years have passed since the end of the war, however, the use of science and technology both in civilian and military sectors has become possible in all fields. I hope the SCJ will consider changes suited to the times and society.
While respecting the SCJ's views as much as possible, we will examine whether they are fulfilling their expected functions and roles. We will study whether the current situation is all right in which their proposals or suggestions are not being utilized while they actively make recommendations. We also will study if anything needs to be revised from a systematic viewpoint. We want to follow the course of the discussions within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, too.
Digitization will also be introduced as much as possible in the management of public documents. The National Archives of Japan is working on electronic preservation of documents, but that is still half complete. Specific measures will be taken by fiscal 2026 when a new archival library will be completed.
The Consumer Affairs Agency also needs to be further digitized. I think the Practical Living Information Online Network System, or PIO-NET, which deals with consultations handled at consumer affairs centers around the nation, can be made more efficient by utilizing AI and other such means.
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