Osaka Expo Legacy to Drive Biomanufacturing Support, Targeting ¥1 Trillion in Sales for Kansai Companies — BigGo Finance

The Future Creation Council, a public-private initiative to advance the social implementation of advanced technologies showcased at the Osaka-Kansai Expo, held its third meeting in Osaka City on the 24th and newly selected four projects for support in the decarbonization field, including “biomanufacturing” that utilizes microorganisms and other biological processes. The goal is to achieve practical application within approximately five years.

The council is composed of top leaders from Osaka Prefecture, Osaka City, and the Kansai business community, and was established in March with the aim of building the Expo’s legacy. Utilizing surplus funds from Expo operating profits, it supports the industrialization of technologies in four areas: flying cars, regenerative medicine, decarbonization, and startups.

The projects selected this time span four domains related to carbon neutrality, including hydrogen and artificial photosynthesis. Among them, biomanufacturing—a technology that leverages biological functions such as microorganisms and cells to produce materials and fuels—is drawing particular attention as a pathway toward a decarbonized society. At the Expo venue, “cultured meat,” produced by extracting cells from cattle tissue and cultivating them, was exhibited and attracted significant visitor interest.

The council aims to promote the widespread adoption of such products and has set a target of ¥1 trillion in sales of biomanufactured products by Kansai companies by 2040.

The outlines of the selected projects are as follows:

Note: Detailed project names and implementing entities are based on publicly released materials following the meeting.

Transforming the Expo Legacy into Economic Growth

The Future Creation Council aims to convert the value of the Expo—ensuring it does not end as a mere exhibition event—into a sustainable growth engine for the Kansai economy. The council brings together Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura, Osaka City Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama, Kansai Economic Federation Chairman Masayoshi Matsumoto, and other leaders, establishing a collaborative framework spanning industry, government, and academia.

The four supported areas are centered on technologies that underwent demonstration testing or were exhibited at the Expo venue. Flying cars conducted demonstration flights during the event, while regenerative medicine drew attention with exhibits on treatment technologies using iPS cells. In the decarbonization field, hydrogen-fueled vessels and artificial photosynthesis demonstration equipment were also showcased.

The council envisions building a comprehensive ecosystem that goes beyond one-off project support, encompassing regulatory relaxation, standardization, and human resource development. Biomanufacturing, in particular, holds high potential for food applications—as demonstrated by the cultured meat exhibit—and is expected to strengthen the competitiveness of Kansai companies eyeing the expanding alternative protein market.

Ripple Effects on the Kansai Economy

The ¥1 trillion sales target for 2040 is seen as substantially exceeding the current market size of bio-related industries in the Kansai region. Achieving this goal will require a smooth transition from the R&D stage to mass production and commercialization, and the council plans to serve as a bridge through business matching, provision of demonstration fields, and fundraising support.

Challenges remain, however. The cost competitiveness of biomanufacturing still lags behind conventional petroleum-derived products, and widespread adoption will require policy support such as the introduction of carbon taxes. For cultured meat, the establishment of food safety regulations and improved consumer acceptance are prerequisites for practical application.

Going forward, the council will monitor the progress of selected projects and consider additional support targets. The key question is how to connect the technological seeds born at the Expo to Kansai’s industrial cluster. The outcome will likely serve as a litmus test for the true evaluation of the 2025 Expo.