[Milan Expo] Sharing Japanese Food Culture at the Japan Salone (Part 1)

The Milan International Exposition (Expo Milano) runs from May 1st to October 31st. Within Milan, the " Japan Salone" was held for 19 days from June 25th to July 13th, with participating companies and organizations supporting the Japan Pavilion alongside the Japanese government.
Yasushi Yamaguchi from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, who planned this initiative, producer Shohei Fukui, and Kenichi Sakuta and Takayuki Yano from Dentsu Inc. discussed the outcomes.

Reporting and Editing: Aki Kanahara, Dentsu Inc. Event & Space Design Bureau

(From left) Mr. Yano, Mr. Fukui, Mr. Yamaguchi, Mr. Sakuta

 

 

 

Aiming for Public-Private Partnership and All-Japan Collaboration

Yano: Today, we'd like to ask about one of the benefits of sponsoring the Japan Pavilion at Expo Milano 2015: the Japan Salone. In 2012, JETRO announced the comprehensive production services and exhibition design/construction supervision services for the Japan Pavilion at Expo Milano 2015. We'd like to start by asking Mr. Fukui, the Chief Producer, how this concept was conceived at that time.

Fukui: The 2005 Aichi Expo (Expo 2005 Aichi Japan) presented a new vision for 21st-century expositions: "Let's gather with solutions to global challenges."
This sparked a new Expo movement focused on presenting solutions to global challenges, replacing the previous emphasis on national prestige displays and trade fair-style promotion of technology and services.

However, the Expo's DNA as a venue for proposing technological innovations and new industrial systems that shape the next era remains very much alive. Milan is, after all, the city of the world-renowned business salons (Saloni).

For example, at the Milan Salone, the annual international interior design business show, exhibitors present design concepts based on a unified theme. However, actual business negotiations with clients take place independently in central Milan.
Given this B2B Milan style, setting up the "Japan Salone" – a B2B venue focused on "food and agriculture" – within Milan itself made perfect sense.

Yamaguchi: Beyond the proposal for overall production of the Milan Expo, Dentsu Inc. alone also proposed business development strategies for the sponsoring companies.

Fukui: We believed that by collaborating with the international community to communicate Japan's initiatives aligned with the Expo theme from the Japan Pavilion, while simultaneously operating a B2B business salon in central Milan, we could deliver a Japan presentation with both diversity and depth.

Yano: So, as we tried last year with the FIFA World Cup in Brazil, going forward—even with events like the Olympics or World Cup where sponsor rights may vary—it seems likely that setting up salon-style events alongside international competitions will become standard practice for Japan's presentations.

Fukui: That's right. We can leverage not only international expos, but also big events promoted by the UN and international organizations, or events driven by international NGOs like the Olympics.

Sakuta: This time, we first need to organize various prerequisites—like what kind of presentation scheme works best when companies want or need to present, and who the target audience is. Otherwise, we'll just end up debating KPIs like how many people attended.

First, for this scheme, we simulated several key presentation styles.

For instance, we needed a venue for large-scale PR activities like a symposium. Since many participating companies were in the food industry, we also needed to prepare kitchen facilities and serving capabilities. Additionally, we required closed spaces for business negotiations.

Furthermore, we built business matching with Italian players—connections with entities like chambers of commerce—into the scheme from the outset. This allowed us to create an environment where Japanese companies without a foothold in Milan could engage in business discussions.

I was reminded once again how critically important the venue is for an event.

Sakuta: We started looking at smaller venues, but Director Yamaguchi made the decisive call: "Bigger is better!"

Yamaguchi: It felt like jumping off the stage at Kiyomizu Temple. Finding the right venue is really tough. Popular spots are cramped, and cramped spaces lack scale. But going for a venue that's too big for your actual needs, like a suburban exhibition hall, just feels wrong. Venue selection is quite challenging.

Fukui: The Milanese who came to Japan Salone were surprised, saying, "So this is what Palazzo Stelline can do!" I have a feeling it might become an important B2B venue at future Milan Salone events.

 

Globally, agriculture is a "growth industry."

Fukui: The goal of Japan Salone was to promote the true appeal and value of Japanese food and agriculture. It was about the government and industry working together to create a comprehensive space where people could experience the value of Japanese food and farming. On that collaborative stage, each organization—JA in its own way, Ajinomoto and Kikkoman in theirs, the Japan Federation of Small Business Associations, NHK, the Japan Tourism Agency—put forth their best efforts in exhibitions and demonstrations.
There was trial and error, but I believe this experience will be a great asset.

Sakuta: For example, in the case of meat, it was crucial that we adopted a strategic approach, with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries leading a unified public-private effort to establish a clear theme. This created a dynamic, unified image of what Japan was presenting, which was the real highlight.

Yamaguchi: I have a desire to make this Expo a springboard for creating new industries.
For instance, making it the first year for overseas expansion of the restaurant industry. For MAFF, exporting agricultural products might seem crucial, but actually, exporting the agricultural system itself is vital. Japan's population is shrinking, so its agriculture and food markets will naturally contract. However, globally, populations are growing and economies are expanding.

Agriculture is undoubtedly a growth industry. Amidst global warming and climate change, we must build new business foundations to respond to these challenges – a new agricultural policy foundation.

I had hoped we could use this Salone platform to introduce technologies that form this infrastructure – like remote sensing – as part of a "new agriculture" and create a framework to enter the global business arena. Unfortunately, we ran a bit short on time for that.

Fukui: However, for Japan's high-quality food and agricultural products, this was likely the first serious export effort on the European stage. While individual companies have faced tremendous challenges in the past, the joint government-private sector presentations at events like the Expo and Salone will undoubtedly become valuable assets for future endeavors.

 

Various fun "Japan Salone" events held throughout Milan city

Fukui: I attended two outreach events in Milan.
One was a tasting event for JA's exported Wagyu beef. We gathered about 30 prominent European food culture journalists. After an evidence-based presentation explaining the differences between the "imitation Wagyu" currently consumed in Europe and authentic JA exported Wagyu, chefs appeared and served sukiyaki, shabu-shabu, and steak. The food journalists asked quite serious questions, and the tasting event was very lively.

Another event was a sake tasting organized by the Japan Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises. It was a challenge held at a bar in the canal district where many young people gather. The concept was to create original cocktails using sake that pair well with Italian food and have customers try them. It wasn't just a typical sake tasting; it was a unique attempt to bring sake into everyday living spaces. It was fun to see the interactions between the bartenders and the customers.

Yano: So Japan Salon expanded beyond the Expo grounds, and companies and organizations further developed their own unique initiatives at familiar restaurants and bars throughout the city.

Fukui: Meanwhile, at the Japan Pavilion's food court, the Japan Foodservice Association and participating vendors are working hard every day to build the food value chain.
To offer the appeal of authentic Japanese cuisine—not the trendy, superficial "imitation Japanese food"—we need to build an optimal value chain encompassing food export processes, distribution, preservation methods, cooking techniques, hospitality in ordering and serving, and financial management. I strongly feel that the daily improvement efforts made here have the potential to endure in Europe long after this six-month Expo concludes.

Yamaguchi: Last year's Japan Presentation project, where Dentsu Inc. also faced challenges, showed us that while we must involve companies, the government truly needs to be deeply engaged to attract them. This time, we secured substantial funding from the Cabinet Office, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan Tourism Agency, and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to make the project viable.

In that sense, it's about co-creating value – companies and the government working as one to create new value. Without such initiatives, it won't translate into actual international business or genuine brand building. It's crucial to properly reflect on each experience and build on it with every major international event.

Fukui: This was our first attempt to present Japan's outstanding food and agriculture as a unified whole through an all-Japan effort, and we felt it was promising. We succeeded in turning it into a value co-creation project through collaboration between the government, private companies, and NGOs.

We must never forget the DNA of business breakthroughs inherent in international expos. The Japanese government's sponsorship and cooperation for the Japan Pavilion project, I believe, has entered a new horizon of public-private partnership mechanisms. It's not about the size of logos displayed or the number of priority entry opportunities.

Yano: You also put significant effort into Japanese sake this time, right?

Yamaguchi: To get Europeans to drink sake, we need Europeans who truly understand sake to present varieties that suit European palates.
If you only offer one type of sake, they'll just think, "What's that?" But if you have about 20 different sakes, they can say, "This one tastes like this, but this one tastes like that, so that's why it's like this." Having comparisons makes a huge difference in depth.

Sakuta: Since large breweries are scarce, traveling all the way to Milan requires significant investment. To make that investment worthwhile, the reassurance of collaborating with the government is essential.

Also, how we present and enjoy sake as a distinct category. Considering wine's history on Japanese tables, it's crucial to showcase its variations, flavor differences, and how each type pairs with specific snacks or meals.

Yano: Or how it pairs with local Italian ingredients.

Fukui: Japan's aging and declining population will only accelerate. An outbound & inbound strategy is essential: selling Japan's excellent agricultural products and foods overseas, while also inviting many visitors from abroad to experience and enjoy Japan's outstanding food culture.