Japan has picked a familiar Serbian face to promote its pavilion at Expo 2027 Belgrade. At a press conference on 27 October, the day that marked 200 days to the opening, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the trade agency JETRO named Dragan Stojković "Piksi" as promotional ambassador of the Japan Pavilion and announced its first 15 corporate sponsors. A day later, the organiser Expo 2027 d.o.o. said one of those sponsors, Toyo Tire, has also become a gold partner of the exhibition itself and will provide 41 electric vehicles for moving people around the site in Surčin.
For local contractors the two announcements say something useful: Japan is planning a pavilion with a programme that changes every week, and the site will run its own electric shuttle fleet.
A Serbian ambassador for Japan
The choice is not random. Stojković joined Nagoya Grampus Eight in 1994 and became one of the defining players of the early J.League. As the club's head coach he won its first league title in 2010, and in 2015 Japan awarded him the Order of the Rising Sun for his contribution to football and to relations between the two countries. He later led Serbia to the 2022 World Cup and EURO 2024.
In a video message shown at the press conference, he linked his sport to the pavilion's idea: "Football starts with play." He joins an ambassador line-up that already includes Hello Kitty and Myaku-Myaku, the mascot of Expo 2025 in Osaka.
The pavilion's theme is "Play and Connect, Together – The Playful Spirit of Japan", a direct answer to the Belgrade Expo theme, "Play for Humanity: Sport and Music for All". According to JETRO, visitors will take part rather than just watch: traditional Japanese games and mechanical devices will be combined with new technologies. The pavilion will also host weekly special exhibitions by sponsors and by Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, covering tradition, culture, creative content, technology and food. A dedicated pavilion website went live on 27 October.
Fifteen sponsors, from Mitsubishi to TOMY
The first round of sponsors mixes large industrial groups with smaller firms. Among them are Mitsubishi Corporation, Murata Manufacturing, KYOCERA Document Solutions, LIXIL, JTB, TOMY Company and TOYO TIRE, together with the quantum technology alliance Q-STAR and several smaller companies and projects. The agriculture ministry and Japan's National Tax Agency are listed as special cooperation partners. JETRO says sponsorship is meant to open new networks and markets for the companies involved.
Toyo Tire: 41 electric vehicles on site
Toyo Tire's role goes beyond the national pavilion. As a gold partner of Expo 2027 Belgrade, the company will supply 41 electric vehicles to carry visitors and participants inside the exhibition complex, according to the organiser's announcement carried by Tanjug and B92. The fleet will include 4-seat and 14-seat models, vehicles adapted for wheelchair users and vehicles for emergency transport, all in Toyo's blue livery combined with the Expo's visual identity. The company will also support the Japan Pavilion and run its own programme, "Toyo Tire Week".
The partnership has a local angle. Toyo Tire's first European factory is in Inđija, an investment of around €382 million with about 560 jobs, as Tyre News reported in 2025.
What it means for Serbian suppliers
A pavilion that changes its exhibition every week means work that continues during the 93 days of the Expo, not only before it: installing and removing displays, graphics and AV, handling goods, staffing, and catering for food-themed weeks. Firms used to quick turnarounds at trade fairs are well placed for that kind of job, but Japanese clients usually expect precise planning, punctual delivery and detailed documentation.
The electric fleet raises practical questions that have not been answered yet: who will operate and maintain the vehicles, and where they will be charged and parked. The organisers have not published details, so treat any related opportunities as unconfirmed for now.
Japan has not announced calls for local suppliers. Companies interested in working with the pavilion can follow its new website and the JETRO and METI contacts listed in the official release. With organisers aiming to hand over pavilion spaces by 1 December, fit-out partners for many national sections are likely to be chosen in the coming weeks.
Sources
- www.jetro.go.jp
- www.b92.net
- www.tyrenews.co.uk
- www.prnewswire.co.uk
Photo: Nikola Cirkovic / Unsplash licence / source
