© SIP/Emmanuel Claude
Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume continued his visit to Japan on Tuesday with a packed schedule that included scientific, cultural, and diplomatic highlights – all part of a broader Luxembourg delegation tour to the World Expo in Osaka.
The second day of the official visit began with a stop at Kyoto University, where the future Grand Duke toured the renowned CiRA research centre. There, he met Yann Pretemener, a Luxembourger who has been living in Japan for 12 years.
Pretemener, who studied bioinformatics in Tokyo, now works in immunology at the Centre for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA). The institute specialises in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells), with the aim of going beyond treating symptoms by actually replacing malfunctioning cells – like in patients with Parkinson's disease.
Although there is currently no formal collaboration with Luxembourg researchers, interest from the Grand Duchy in these advanced practices is growing.
Later in the day, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume arrived at the World Expo site in nearby Osaka, home to the Luxembourg Pavilion, one of the highlights of the international exhibition.
Towering over the Expo grounds is the Grand Ring, a massive 61,000-square-metre wooden structure that holds the Guinness World Record for the world's largest of its kind. Standing 22 metres tall, the ring offers a panoramic view of the pavilions below – including Luxembourg's.
Inside the pavilion, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume was welcomed by a team from Luxembourg's hotel and tourism school. The second group of students assigned to the pavilion had just started their one-week shift and were honoured to meet the future head of state in person.
Like many other visitors, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume experienced Luxembourg in a new light – through interactive exhibits, cultural showcases, and personal encounters with the pavilion staff. The day concluded with a tour of several other national pavilions, followed by a visit to the waterfront, where thousands gathered for the daily evening spectacle – a visually stunning show combining music, light, and water.
