By SONG ZHONGZHENG PHOTO BY SONG ZHONGZHENG AND SHI PING

The Aichi World Expo 2005 is the first world exposition in the new century. It is being staged in Nagoya of Aichi Prefecture and runs from March 25 through September 25, spanning 185 days. The central theme is“Wisdom of Nature’’and there are three sub-themes, namely,“the Universe, Life and Information”,“the Tips and Wisdom of the Human Life’’and“the Re cycling based Society.’’The venues are distributed in Nagakute, Toyota City and Seto. The Nagakute and Seto venues are linked by shuttle buses and cable cars. There are a total of 12 exhibition areas, namely, the central exhibition area, the forest area, the entertainment and cultural areas, the Japan area, two exhibition areas specially set aside for enterprises and six exhibition areas earmarked for participating countries. The latter areas host 120 participating countries and four international organizations. A 2.6 kilometer long and 21 meter wide suspended corridor named“Air Ring”links the six exhibition areas for the world countries.

Like its predecessors, the Aichi Expo features state-of-the-art technologies and research outcomes in a way that can be easily understood.

WHAT TO SEE IN THE AICHI EXPO?

The largest seamless super-wide 2005-inch screen in the world, which stands 10 meters high and 50 meters in width, is situated at the“Home of the Globe”hall, the landmark architecture of the Aichi Expo in the World Square. All kinds of treasures from all over the world are displayed. The beauty of our planet is also shown on the high-tech screen. All kinds of data are used to describe the status of the earth and the human race and to probe into the urgent issues pertaining to the relationship between mankind and the environment.

The World Square facilitates exchange and communication between people from across the world by providing video and audio means and various activities.“The Wall of Life’’, however, is a huge screen that shows off the powerful life of plants.

A mammoth unearthed from the tundra in Siberia is the first to be exhibited in a state of refrigeration at the expo. In order to promote the research on“the frozen mammoth,’’a refrigerated exhibition hall and a lab are set up at the Aichi Expo, where the latest research outcomes are made public.

You can make adventures into various parts of the Magic Electric Exhibition Hall by riding on a flying tram car: The JR maglev train will give you a brand new experience; the combination of mirrors and video and audio facilities at the Mitsubishi futuristic venue creates a fantastic space; Futuristic automobiles, robots that serve as your companion and video shows combine to show the wonders robots can do; taking a ride on the flying car at the Hitachi venue enables you to have the experience of meeting with rare species of animals in a virtual reality; At the Toshiba venue, you can see your own image mingled with film characters, which is made possible by the CG filming system.; At the Dream Landscape Hall, you can enjoy the largest images projected on the ground.

The entertainment shows and parties are wonderful. Apart from the amphitheater, smaller performances are also staged, for example, in the Carp Pool. Each evening,“Carp Pool Party’’is organized.

Making full use of the water surface’s reflecting functions and the natural surrounding landscape, the designer tries to bring ``psychological shocks created by being close to nature’’to the audience.“The Dream Like Wonders directed by Robert Wilson, American modern dance director, takes the audience on“a trip that transcends time and space.’’

In all, various cultures of the world present themselves in various fantastic ways, science and technologies show off what magic they can do and environmental protection takes the center stage at the expo, all under the central theme–“Wisdom of Nature.”Exchanges and communication are conducted in this wonderful atmosphere, as if echoing the expo organizers’call:“Come to Aichi! Look at each other with passion, smile to each other and embrace each other. Experience and enjoy to your hearts’content what the exchange of wisdom can bring to you.”

Robots–the Stars at the Aichi Expo

The music presented by 14 robots at the opening ceremony of the Aichi World Expo on March 23 was extremely impressive. One simply could not believe one’s eyes and ears that robots could play such wonderful melodies! At the Toyota Venue, this reporter saw a band of robots playing music and dancing. It was too much for the eye to take in. Robots play roles far beyond musicians at the Aichi Expo venues. Various kinds of robots assume responsibilities of nannies, guest greeters, cleaners, security guards and so on. The robots that embody the latest high-tech achievements are doubtless the stars at the Aichi Expo, which is evidenced by the fact that visitors queue up in front of the Toyota and Hitachi venues to see robots’performances of various functions.

High-tech is Everywhere

At the expo, even the transportation systems enable the visitors to have a taste of what the future life can be. At the Nagakute venue, for example, the next-generation IMTS transportation system, electric cars, fuel cell driven buses and maglev trains for commercial purposes all show off the magic and wonders high-tech can create and the roles they can play. Another example: All electricity at the Japan Venue is supplied by a solar energy generating system and by fuel cells. It is safe to say that high-tech is everywhere to be found at the Aichi World Expo.

Here is the largest seamless 2050-inch screen in the world, standing 10 meters high and 50 meters in width; Here is the futuristic vehicle I-unit that meets the needs of traveling in future…. The long queues in front of the venues of various brand-name enterprises drive it home to us: New and high technologies are the greatest charm at the Aichi World Expo!

Environmental Protection Down to Minute Details

Environmental protection concepts reflected at the Aichi World Expo impress all visitors. The venues of 121 participating countries and four world organizations are situated on a rolling terrain, which features beautiful landscapes, but do not have any bad effects on the natural surroundings. They are all built in such a way that makes the fullest use of the terrain. In order to keep the natural topography and surroundings intact, the organizers did not construct any new roads in this area. Instead, they open up a suspended corridor——the Global Circuit. Taking a ride along the suspended corridor, one can view all the venues of the participating countries.

How to tide over the sweltering summer in a way that consumes the least possible energy becomes the focus of various exhibition venues. As a result, air conditioning is obviously not welcome at the Aichi Expo. The venue of Japan, the host, looks like a huge silk worm cocoon. The staff say the whole structure is built with traditional Japanese technologies. It not only reduces the heat of sunlight but also sends cool air to visitors by the way of natural ventilation. The landmark building of the expo ——the Tower of the Earth has water flowing gently down its walls to achieve cooling effects as if spraying water. At the Toshiba venue, water is pumped up to the 16-meter tall roofs and then flows down the blinds. The water finally breaks into drops at the 4.5-meter height and falls to the ground. This makes the interior pleasantly cool.

The staff told this reporter, with apparent pride, that all the venues and facilities in the 173-hectare Expo park, with the exception of the Tower of the Earth, are supported by steel structures and are hence free of piles driven into the ground. Moreover, the steel structures are neither welded or riveted. Instead they are dovetailed together like traditional Chinese carpentry. As a result, the components of the structures can be taken down as if they were building blocks and then assembled in some other place. All this reduces the burden on the environment. All will return to its original natural state once the Aichi World Expo comes to an end.

“KITCHEN PERCUSSION MUSIC”

This reporter happened to go into a Korean restaurant near“the Square of the Earth”. Hardly had I sat down at the table when four“chefs”rushed to the stage, striking pans. Pans, bowls, ladles, pots and even brooms, cutting boards and waste bins all became musical instruments. Beautiful melodies emanated from all this.

Entertainment and cultural areas are set aside at the expo. There are, for example, the global citizens’village, naughty treasure island, forest for strolling and so on. Visitors can obtain knowledge in catering and environmental protection through interactive games here.

A gourmets’square is set up to cater to the visitors’needs for food. The square is lined with snack shops presenting various kinds of exotic foods. Automatic drink venders are everywhere. People can choose freely ice drinks and ice-free drinks.

Relevant Linkage

Overview of the Exhibition Hall of Kiccoro (Forest Child) and Morizo (Forest Grand Father)

03/25-04/24 Handicrafts Concert (Small and medium-sized enterprises in middle Japan will show their technologies and development capabilities, bringing wonderful flowers, plants and insects and marvelous toys to the venue)

04/29-05/28 Planet of Flowers (Roses and carnations from Aichi Prefecture, the largest flower producer in Japan, will be displayed)

05/12-05/22 Intellectual property rights to realize future dreams (World Expo to display, introduce and popularize new techniques and new products)

05/12-05/22 Futuristic light technology exhibition (showing off Japan’s sophisticated optics technologies that lead the world)

05/26-06/05 Creative Japan (displaying creative concepts and plans in the fields of professionals’cultivation, manufacturing and urban construction)

06/09-06/19 Exhibition of prototypes of robots (prototypes of various kinds of robots collected by NEDO Corp will be displayed)

06/23-7/10 Joyous Big Forest (Music played on junk ball machines will be presented in the six exhibition areas nicknamed“Joyous Big Forest”)

07/14-07/25 JC Square, Heart of Japan and Touch Square (On the Touch Square, members from JC branches across Japan will show off traditional festival performances)

07/29-08/10 Asian Children’s Art Festival, Asian Children’s Painting Show (The shows will present works by children in 24 Asian countries and regions to promote mutual understanding)

08/12-09/01 Building beautiful homeland through labor and sharing technologies (concerts will be staged to show the importance of the construction industry.)

09/03-09/13 World’s calligraphy, Japan’s calligraphy (5000 calligraphic pieces featuring the word “love”will be presented)

Pollution-Free Means of Transportation

The central theme of the Aichi World Expo is“Wisdom of Nature”and one of the sub0themes is“Society Based on Recycling.”The current expo does reflect this theme.

In the exhibition area, the organizers carry out the principles of preservation of the natural environment and recycling, paying attention to keeping the expo’s negative effects to the minimum in construction of the venues of running the exposition. The 2.6-kilometer long Global Circuit that links up six exhibition areas makes the best use of the natural terrain. The designers also took into account of the growth of rare plants. The floor of the circuit path is made of intermediate-cut timber. The Global Tram which runs along the circuit is a safe and comfortable transportation vehicle. Each train consists of three cars. Visitors can take a ride on it to experience the pleasure of ``traveling around the world.’’

Besides, it is extremely convenient for the disabled, children and elderly people to board the train, with designers taking these needs into full account.

Cable cars are introduced to shuttle between the two main exhibition areas–Nagakute and Seto, which offers great convenience to the visitors.

The“Forest Child”cable car that runs between the north and south parts of the Nagakute venue enables the visitors to have an aerial view of the whole Expo area.

The fuel cell hybrid buses is also a good choice. Its fuel is high-pressure hydrogen and its emission is just water instead of carbon dioxide and hydroxide. It is pollution free. Moreover, it is very quiet. It is believed to be the ideal transportation means in the 21st century.

At the expo, the most eye catching is IMTS–the unmanned car.

IMTS stands for Intelligent Multimode Transit System. Based on advanced IT technology and using compressed natural gas as fuel, it is the new-generation pollution free transport vehicle. Often, three such cars in tandem, controlled by automatic control system, run three stops in the north and west ends of the venue area and the stop in front of the dome theater.

In addition to meeting people’s need of moving around, it serves as an entertainment vehicle similar to that found in the theme park.

THE CHINA VENUE SPRUCED UP BY CHINESE ELEMENTS

In terms of space, it takes only two hours to fly from Shanghai to the Central Japan International Airport near the Aichi World Expo. In terms of time, only five years are left between the current Aichi World Expo and the Shanghai World Expo in 2010, it’s just like the“close”relation between Shanghai and Aichi. As a result, the first day the China Venue at the Aichi Fair saw 15,000 visitors, one-third of the total number on March 25. Long queues formed in front of the China Venue and the brochures offering information about the Shanghai World Expo were widely distributed. The Aichi Expo is the 13th that China has taken part in and also the first one in the 21st century. The Chinese exhibition at the venue attracts many visitors. The front wall painted“Chinese Red”presents a magnificent scene and the walls on both wings feature“Traditional Chinese Names”which are eye catching. The frontal corridor embodies traditional Chinese architectural elements.

The China Venue covers 1,620 square meters, one of the largest two among all venues of Asian countries. The other is the Korea Venue. The designers have incorporated various elements of nature and traditional Chinese culture into the venue, displaying the ideas of“Respecting nature, Returning to nature and Integrating nature with human.’’Walking in the China Venue, one sees ``Chinese elements’’everywhere.

Element I: Chinese family names. The passionate“Chinese Red”wall greets the visitor from afar. On the side wall are 130 Chinese characters in relief, which are actually Chinese family names, revealing the unique charm of Chinese characters and the rich content of Chinese culture and impacting the visitors visually and aesthetically.

Element II: Nine-Dragon Screen Wall. The lower part of the wall of the China Venue features patterns of the Nine-Dragon Screen Wall in Beihai Park in Beijing.

Element III: 12 symbolic animals. Images of the 12 symbolic animals associated with a 12-year cycle in the Chinese lunar calendar. At the entrance of the China Venue are hung the 12 animals–mouse, bull, tiger, rabbit and so on. Each is vividly presented.

Element IV: Diagram of Taiji (Great Ultimate). Walking into the venue, one sees an expanse of light green color reminiscent of life’s vitality. In the center of the hall, a huge drop of water falls to the ground and turns into a Diagram of Taiji. The tiny water drops splashing from the diagram Change into a 10-meter high Tree of Life. This is conceived from the idea that“water is the origin of life.’’It conveys to the world the Chinese idea of“Integrating nature with human”. The images of splashing water and the prosperous tree leaves are based on real things in nature. The whole project is made of traditional Chinese rice paper and is reinforced by modern projection technology.

Element V: Chinese music: The all-women band is specially organized for the event. Women musicians wearing costumes of various ethnic groups in China play traditional Chinese music around the Tree of Life. Amidst changing light and sound, they are bringing out an atmosphere in which everything and all creatures in the universe depend on each other to survive and prosper, which is advocated by traditional Chinese culture.

Element VI: Relief Wall. Surrounding the interiors of the China Venue is a 74.5-meter long and nine-meter tall wall of relief with the theme of ``Travel along through Chinese Civilization.’’Climbing up the spiral steps and seeing the relief images on the wall, this reporter had a feeling of traveling through the 5,000-year-old Chinese civilization.

Element VII: Tri-color glazed pottery of the Tang Dynasty. The eight relic pieces displayed at the China Venue are state-level treasures made during the period that spanned the Shang and Tang dynasties. Among them is the tri-color glazed pottery images of music-playing figurine astride a camel, which, made in the Tang Dynasty, was unearthed in 2002 in Shaanxi Province.

Element VIII: Sandal Wood Study. The Sandal Wood Study present a collection of 49 sandal wood furniture pieces. The furniture is arranged according to the traditional Chinese study’s interiors. Traditional Chinese stationery such as writing brush, rice paper, ink ingot and ink stone are also featured. All this is meant to enable the visitors to have the feel of Chinese culture.

In the rear hall of the China Venue is the Crystal Film and Television Hall, which covers 160 square meters. Light reflected from the metal paneling helps create a crystal-like visual effect. The three groups of screens can be adjusted to various angles. They can also be combined and separated according to needs. The audience can walk between the screens while films or television programs are screened, gaining a keen feeling of what is going on the screens. Multiscreen films telling of the development of traditional and modern Chinese society are projected here, which present the unique charm of China and people’s aspiration for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.

Incorporating high-tech into traditional elements and using advanced technologies to display China’s rapid development in recent years show that China, a country with a long history and rich cultural heritage, is racing into the future by leaps and bounds.！

In order to better publicize the Shanghai World Expo 2010, the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination has set up a Shanghai Desk in the China Venue. The China Desk is located at the left entrance into the main hall on the ground floor, featuring the sign“Expo 2010 Shanghai China.’’The bureau has prepared 40,000 decorative pieces that feature the Chinese character“Happiness,’’20,000 Shanghai World Expo buttons and thousands upon thousands of publicity brochures for distribution. The desk serves as a window for the Shanghai World Expo 2010 during the exhibiting period of 185 days.

The Shanghai Week to be held in late September will focus on publicizing the Shanghai World Expo 2010. The Shanghai Week will span the International Exhibition Venues’Day and the day when the Aichi Expo’s closing ceremony is staged. In collaboration with the International Exhibition Bureau and Japan Association for the 2005 World Exposition, the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination will organize various activities and ceremonies to attract visitors to the Shanghai Expo from all over the world.

Relevant Links

Schedule of the Chinese Cities’and Provinces’Weeks at the China Venue in the Aichi World Expo

Hangzhou Week (March 27-April 2)

Anhui Week (April 5-11)

Dalian Week (April 14-20)

Heilongjiang Week (April 23-29)

Guangzhou Week (May 1-7)

Tianjin Week (May 10-16)

Beijing Week (May 18-24)

Hunan Week (May 26- June 1)

Hainan Week (June 3-9)

Guangxi Week (June 23-29)

Suzhou Week (August 28- September 3)

Shanghai Week (September 19-25)

Schedule of Activities Organized by Shanghai During the Aich Expo

1. Shanghai Expo Desk

“The Shanghai Expo Desk”is set up on the ground floor of the China Venue.

2. Crystal Film and Television Hall

The Crystal Film and Television Hall, a project co-sponsored by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination is situated on the second floor of the China Venue, covering 250 square meters. Three groups of movable screens are installed in the hall. The screens can change angles, and can be combined and separated to form different formations and therefore create multiple viewing points for the audience. A number of films can be projected simultaneously, showing China’s natural landscapes and cityscapes. Promotion of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo is also featured.

3. Introduction of serial video films

Interactive multi-media screens are set up in the venue, providing the visitors with an interactive window. On the“Travel along through Chinese Civilization”relief wall is screened the films about Shanghai’s economics, culture, science and technology and ordinary people’s lives.

4. Performances

Two performances will be staged on May 18 and 19 when the China Venue Day and the Forum on Urban Development in the 21st Century are to be held. The show is divided into four parts–Soul of Sound, Charm of Dance, Beauty of Melody and Quintessence of Acrobatics. Shanghai artists and overseas Chinese artists will treat the audience with wonderful dances, music, opera and acrobatics.

5. Dance drama “The Overlord Bids Farewell to His Concubine”

The dance drama, produced by Shanghai artists, has won the Lotus Award, which is considered the top prize for dance in China. It is to be staged on September 5 and 6.

6. Shanghai Week, September 19-25

The Shanghai Week will focus on promoting the Shanghai World Expo 2010. Photos and brochures about the Shanghai Expo will be put up at the China Venue. Cultural demonstration activities that have the local features Shanghai and its neighboring areas will be staged.

On September 19, the Shanghai government will hold a press conference to brief the media on Shanghai’s part in the China Venue at the current expo and the progress of preparations Shanghai is making for the 2010 expo.

On September 23, “The Third International Forum on the Shanghai World Expo 2010,”which is co-sponsored by the International Exhibition Bureau, the Shanghai Municipal Government and the Japan Association for the Aichi Expo, will be organized, with a focus on“The World Expo and Sustainable Development.”

On September 24, Shanghai will take an active part the serial activities held by the BIE on the BIE Day.

On September 25, the flag of the International Exhibition Bureau will be handed from the Aichi World Expo host to the Shanghai Expo host.

WORLD EXPO IS A GRAND STAGE

The World Expo is a huge stage which offers an opportunity for each country to present its best images. There are 121 countries and international organizations participating in the current expo. Each goes all out to attract as many visitors as possible in order to make the best public relations effects, tapping to the full its natural and cultural resources.

The Spain Venue’s exteriors are decorated with brightly colored square ceramic tiles. The designer arrange the tiles into geometric patterns in order to create the form of window panes and reduce the heat of sunlight. All this marks it out from the neighboring Turkey and France-Germany venues. It is reminiscent of the passionate character of the Spanish people.

France and Germany jointly set up their venue at the current expo. The venue’s exteriors are simple and graceful. The content of the exhibition, however, focuses on sophisticated technologies, which show the two countries’efforts to promote social progress with science and technology. A German-made clean-fuel BMW car catches the eye of the visitors. A huge chandelier made in France impacts the visitor visually and offers much room for imagination. The venue can be said to be ``coarse’’outside but ``fine and elegant’’inside.

The Mexico Venue focuses on the theme of“agriculture.”At the entrance of the venue stands a smiling beautiful lady wearing traditional Mexican costume. Inside are displayed Mexico’s farm produces–pyramids made up from corn.

The Sri Lanka Venue largely displays the country’s handicraft products and food. The snack bar on the right-hand side of the venue, for example, is always crowded with customers.

No doubt, the China Venue plays the“culture card.”Its front is painted“Chinese Red”and the corridor and the columns in front of the main entrance feature classic Chinese garden architectural styles. The big Chinese characters in relief, which are actually Chinese family names, the Jasmine Flower melody echo throughout the main hall, the sandal wood furniture and so on all impress the audience with Chinese cultural elements.

Different from the China Venue, the US Venue plays the“science and technology card,”which is in keeping with the United States’leading role in the world’s science-and-technology development. It is the only venue that imposes security checks at the current Aichi World Expo. The arrangement is simple, with only one cinema showing 15-minute films with unique features. A film, in commemoration of the 300th birthday of Benjamin Franklin, reproduces his famous kite experiment with 3D technologies and shows the course of the United States’science and technology development over the last century. The virtual rainfall makes the audience feel as if the rain were really falling.

The Bulgaria Venue is simple. But the dance performances, which offer strong local genre, lure many visitors to the scene.

What is worth mentioning here is the United Venue of African Countries. Showing unity, pluralistic cultures and the future,“Grand African Lyrics’’constitute the central theme of the venue. The exhibition booths are arranged from north to south. Some countries simply display the replicas of the natives’houses in order to make the visitor have a on-the-spot feeling. The masks, eating tools and cloth on display represent strong African characteristics.

Here, we’d like to mention the Japan Venue run by the host of the current world expo. It is divided into two parts. The Nagakute venue focuses on “the plan of manufacturing sustainable products,’’which makes full use of natural resources. The exteriors of the venue look like a huge silk-worm cocoon, covered by Japanese paper from the nine prefectures (Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui, Nagano, Gifu, Shizuoka, Aichi, Miekon and Shiga) in central Japan and the golden cocoons from Indonesia. High-tech is predominant in the exhibition content. There are a huge semi-sphere screen of falling water, a robot named Cyclops who shoots glances at passers-by, the long-enduring products that cater to various niches of consumer needs, some high-tech training facilities and so on. Also, a 3-dimentional cinema enables the audience to have an experience of space travel.

The venue in Seto is quite different in style. It presents to the audience a drama, which, titled“One Seed, Four Plants”, has strong local style and vividly shows the social and cultural evolution taking place in Japan over the last millennium. It is really impressive.

It is safe to say that each venue has its own features and unique content. It is these kinds of exhibits that combine to make up our colorful world, with biodiversity and cultural pluralism. This is what the World Expo wants to show!

Wearing masks not for the sake of preventing colds

Details can represent a man’s virtuous attainments and a city’s internal power. They also reflected the meticulous preparations given to the Aichi World Expo. At the site of the Aichi World Expo, you can feel such points of exquisiteness through every possible detail. We can learn a lot from the concern for details in our future efforts to host large-scale activities and social management.

Care and love from the Aichi World Expo

It’s our first time to be in the Aichi Prefecture. After walking out of the Central airport, I saw a lot of Japanese people wearing masks, at which I initially found nothing unusual. I thought those people might have caught cold and suffered coughing, so they wore masks to prevent other people from being infected.

However, while I toured around within the area of the Aichi World Expo for news coverage, I found many people were also wearing masks, without showing any trace of cold symptoms. Upon my careful observation, I saw many shops were even selling masks. This discovery aroused my curiosity. So I went to a“China Hand”–Mr. Hisano Akio for help. I asked him for an answer to my confusion: Why are the Japanese wearing masks even though they do not have colds? Is it a new fashion?

Mr. Akio burst into laughter after hearing my story, and told me:“Because many people living here are allergic to pollen, they would cough a lot if they did not wear masks. That would be an intolerable thing.”

In Tokyo and Osaka, however, I saw few people wearing masks. According to Mr. Akio’s explanation, people living in metropolitan cities take in a lot of dust every day, thus they are less sensitive to pollen. His remarks indicated how clean and fresh the air is in the Aichi Prefecture.

During our news coverage tour in the Aichi World Expo, we found the passages in the exhibition halls clear. Even the vertical passageway can allow unimpeded isHisHis passage, let alone the slope paths. Disabled people will have no trouble visiting the expo area. In addition, Braille signs are available close to elevator buttons and on telephone sets. The thoughtful consideration of the needs of the disabled could be found everywhere.

We took a cable car from Nagakute to Seto, which flew over a residential quarter. When the cable car approached the residential area, all the glass windows around us became blurred suddenly, which obstructed our vision. We had thought this aimed to ease the passengers’feeling of heights. But we learned later that the action was done for protecting the privacy of the residents underneath! What a meticulous and thoughtful arrangement!

The seamless organization of the Aichi World Expo

In the evening of 25th, we returned to the expo area after finishing our news report outside the main site. As newcomers who were not familiar with the peripheral surroundings of the expo area, we tried to“break in”at the northern entrance. Expo workers declined our request. Meanwhile, they soon got a worker who could speak Chinese, who explained to us in a calm voice that all people had to obey the rules and that journalists should use the western gate for entering the expo area. While speaking, he led us through a path specially opened for visitors, to the western gate, where he bid farewell to us in a polite way and apologized for the inconvenience caused to us. His behavior, which would neither break rules nor disrupt business affairs, gave us a real glimpse of the management and organization of the Aichi World Expo that we had experienced. Moreover, the floor and stands were all made of wood in the performing ground in Seto. In order to prevent performers from slipping during the show, rows of fine veins were rubbed out, while the seats for the audience were as smooth as a mirror.

Although the opening ceremony provided no interpretation services in any languages other than Japanese, which might make a non-Japanese speaking audience sit there like a fool, the organizers offered at least five language services to visitors on demand in the Hitachi enterprise hall. This represented the host’s respect for visitors.

There is one more thing worth our attention. As a huge activity receiving tens of thousands of visitors every day, the Aichi World Expo produced very little garbage, let alone piles of refuse. This was attributed to the effective management of the organizers.

The human-first consideration of the Aichi World Expo

During our news coverage tour at the Aichi World Expo, we experienced the human-first convenience here and there. At each entrance of the Expo area and the gates of many halls and stadiums, a number of wheelchairs for the disabled people and baby push chairs were offered free of charge. We even found the service of“Lost Child Reclaimed”at the western entrance, which has greatly eased the worries of parents bringing their children to the World Expo.

Amazingly, a square matrix of protruding small knots -- signs for passage interchange–could be seen on all the paths of the expo area. They were not only present on straight paths, but also at the corners of stairs. The signs of this kind were more effective than any other signboards handing on the side of each passage with words like“小心脚下”or“Watch Your Step”.

Inside the Expo area, volunteers were wearing yellow jackets, while ordinary staff workers were all in white. This helped give a clear distinction to visitors.

If anyone may say that all the details in the expo area were a result of man-made arrangements of the host, the exquisite and minute points were a natural presence on the magnetic suspension trains to the Aichi World Expo, which demonstrated the virtuous quality of the Japanese and brilliant human thinking.

For instance, when we got aboard the train, we found the chairs on board were adjustable in all direction. In other words, you can orient your chair to any direction you like, either in the same direction of the train or in the opposite. It’s very simple to do so, just step on a metal bar under the chair.

Such human-first consideration could also be felt in the phone booths of a hotel main hall. The phone booths were designed into small rooms big enough to accommodate two persons. What’s more, the doors of the rooms were very small and stealthy, offering maximum privacy for phone users.

From all the details mentioned above, we have deeply experienced the loving care, strict and seamless management, and considerate arrangement of the Aichi World Expo. I hope our 2010 World Expo can do equally well, and even better.