Staff Writer, Dubai

Dubai’s Expo 2020 has named seven ambassadors of the Japanese pavilion and is calling for more supporters to register.

The exhibition is scheduled to begin in October next year.

According to the Dubai Expo 2020 website, the seven ambassadors registered include: singer/songwriter Kamon Tatsuo, pop group Kanjani Eight, astronaut Yamazaki Naoko, actress Wakatsuki Yumi, Anime character Gundam, Pokémon’s Pikachu, and UAE exchange students from Tokai University Takanawadai Junior & Senior High School.

The PR ambassadors are recruited in order to create excitement and promote the Japanese pavilion.

Japanese singer/songwriter Kamon Tatsuo said that the Dubai Expo 2020 plays an important role in paving the way for the Osaka Expo 2025, according to the website.

Japanese pop band Kanjani Eight is also following suit in setting the stage for Japan’s own future expo by supporting the pavilion under the theme “From Dubai to Osaka, Kansai.”

Actress Wakatsuki Yumi also expressed her excitement and said in a statement on the Dubai Expo 2020 website: “As a Japanese person, I hope to convey the beauty and the charm of our country to the world through this role.”

Several UAE exchange students said they are looking to bridge the gap between Japan and the Middle East.

“I have always hoped to give something back to the UAE in return for my days spent at the Japanese School, As a PR ambassador for Japan pavilion, I will work hard to bring our two countries even closer together,” said UAE national Abdulla Almansoori.

Khaled Omran Sqait Sarhan Alameri, Ambassador of the UAE in Japan, expressed his appreciation for Japan’s positive participation in Dubai’s Expo 2020 in a statement on the website.

“It is quite significant that the honorary ambassadors convey the appeal of Japan by giving a tremendous boost to the current bilateral relations,” he said.

Some of the most notable ambassadors include Pokémon’s Pickachu and all the other characters uniting in an effort to promote the Japanese pavilion.