100 Stories1970 The Osaka Expo and Asahi Kasei

The Osaka Expo is famous for its theme song, with the memorable phrase “Hello, Hello! From the nations of the world!” by Haruo Minami. It was held for the first time in Japan in 1970, and was a national project with 64 million visitors and an economic impact of over 4 trillion yen.

The influence of the Osaka Expo was tremendous at the time, as it triggered the introduction of canned coffee and Kentucky Fried Chicken, which are now commonplace in Japan.

When the idea of an Expo was first discussed, the focus on the textile industry had shifted from spinning to yarn manufacturing. There were calls for the textile industry to have its own pavilion at the expo, but chemical fiber yarn manufacturers such as Toray, Teijin, and Mitsubishi Rayon were concentrating their efforts on their own zaibatsu-based pavilions.

However, Kagayaki Miyazaki, then president of the Japan Chemical Fibers Association, decided to host a textile industry pavilion, called the Senikan (lit. fiber hall). Led by Asahi Kasei and Toyoboseki, two companies that did not belong to any zaibatsu, the plan was based on the theme “Textiles to enrich human life.”

The exterior of the building was composed of a slope like a ski jump, with a red dome protruding from the center of the slope, which was very impressive. The ramp represents the gentle suspension curve that is the characteristic line of the fiber. The advanced design is still worth seeing.

The biggest attraction of the exhibition was the video dome, where a new video system called “Ako” was introduced. It was a new sensory show of sound and light centering on four large screens and a giant female figure, and was particularly popular among young people.

Furthermore, all the exhibits, including the lobby dolls that spoke to visitors through built-in speakers, were highly acclaimed by visitors of all ages. The Senikan was a great success, with many celebrities from various fields visiting the exhibition.

Looking at the Osaka Expo as a whole, Asahi Kasei products such as synthetic rubber, Hebel, and Styrofoam were used in various pavilions, with Hebel attracting the most attention. The reason for this was that Hebel was suitable for the construction of pavilions, most of which would be demolished after the Expo, due to the short time necessary for construction using it, and the fact that it is lightweight, non-combustible, and easy to disassemble.

Asahi Kasei also played a role in the success of the Osaka Expo in the field of advertising. Asahi Kasei produced the commercials for the Expo campaign on “Star Sen-ichi-ya,” a TV program sponsored by Asahi Kasei alone. The commercial begins with a scene of children playing at the Expo site, which had yet to be cleared. For the next two and a half years, it continued to tell the story of the child's growth and construction at the end of the program.

Asahi Kasei had a large presence at the Osaka Expo with its products, advertising, and the textile industry pavilion. Also, since then, the company has continued to grow as a leader in the textile industry, becoming an active player not only in Japan but also in the world.