The Japan Association for the International Exposition, 2025, will expand the scope of use of its intellectual property (IP), including the official logo mark, the official character “Myakmyak,” the design system, and the name “Osaka-Kansai Expo,” from April 1. The period of use is until March 31, 2028.
Commercial and business use, such as novelties and advertising, had previously been limited to Expo exhibitors (official participants) and sponsors, but from April, other general companies and organizations will be able to use the logo for a fee. As with applications for the manufacture and sale of officially licensed products, the Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai Master License Office (2025 MLO) will be the contact point for usage procedures.
In addition, new guidelines have been established for secondary creation of Myakmyak and Konyoke (design element ID), which had not been clearly defined before, as the characters are positioned as the legacy of Expo ’70. As long as they are for non-profit and private use, users will be able to post illustrations on personal SNS and blogs, create handmade works, and so on.
However, distribution or sale of such productions is beyond the scope of private use and is not allowed (as mentioned above, application to 2025 MLO is required).
Regarding the design system, it was decided to create a standardized design that can be used free of charge for non-commercial (private use) and for the purpose of carrying on the Expo’s philosophy, and to make it public as the “Co-Creation Design System. Examples of use include business cards, envelopes, paper bags, internal company materials, and press releases. The application form and guidelines for use are scheduled to be announced around the end of March.
The company also announced that it is making arrangements for Myakmyak to continue to appear at events and in the media in April and beyond. Details regarding appearance requests will be announced again in March.
© Source travel watch