Twinned with Milan since 10 April 1981
Mayor: Hideyuki Yokoyama
Population: 2.676.000 inhabitants
Capital of the prefecture of the same name, it rises on the island of Honshu and is located in the innermost part of the bay of the same name, at the mouth of the Yodo river. Of very ancient origins, it was an imperial seat already at the end of the 4th century with the name of Naniwa. Its development significantly intensified in the second half of the 19th century, thanks to the opening of the port to traffic with foreign countries.
With nearby Kobe, the city forms a single urban agglomeration which is the second demographic, commercial and industrial center of the country. A cultural center of primary importance, it is home to five universities and numerous research institutes, as well as temples of different eras and styles.
Osaka will host the 2025 edition of Expo. After the race against Yekaterinburg and Baku, in November 2018 - during the Assembly of delegates of 170 countries - the BIE chose it as the winning city. The theme of Expo 2025 will be Designing Future Society for Our Lives, focusing on the use of science, robotics, artificial intelligence and biotechnology for the public good. The event will affect the entire Kansai region, where the largest airport in the world artificially built on the sea is located. In 1970 Osaka had already hosted a very successful edition.
In 2021 the 40th anniversary of the twinning between Milan and Osaka was celebrated. On the occasion of this important anniversary, various activities have been planned. Below are the links to the videos of the events held:
- The Municipality of Milan collaborated with the Municipality of Osaka to create a video on the Sforzesco Castle and Osaka Castle, and on the two cities. Follow the video
- The Municipality of Osaka honored the Municipality of Milan with a commemorative video that retraces some important moments of the 40 years of friendship between the two cities. Follow the video
- The Italian Cultural Institute in Osaka has published a video concert celebrating the Milanese singer-songwriter Fabio Concato. Follow the concert video
