Japan Takes Center Stage in Global Media Transformation with BRIDGE Roadshow in Osaka
Osaka-Japan. July 31, 2025: Japan’s leadership in media and technology was on display as the BRIDGE global roadshow arrived at Expo 2025 Osaka. Following high-profile events in New York and London, the gathering brought together over 30 of Japan’s most influential media executives, policymakers, and innovators — reinforcing Japan’s pivotal role in shaping global communications.
Organized by the United Arab Emirates’ National Media Office (NMO), the BRIDGE roadshow is forging new pathways for East-West dialogue. In Osaka, leaders discussed digital transformation and AI adoption, highlighting Japan’s unique blend of tradition and innovation.
The Osaka event was opened by His Excellency Dr. Jamal Mohammed Obaid Al Kaabi, Director-General of the NMO, and attended by His Excellency Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Butti Al Hamed, Chairman of the NMO, and His Excellency Shihab Al Faheem, UAE Ambassador to Japan. It featured a session titled “Who’s Cashing In on the Truth Deficit” with Leika Kihara, Chief Correspondent at Thomson Reuters Japan and Wendy Shaw, Senior Vice President at WPP. This was followed by a frontier voice spotlight titled “Thinking Machines, Feeling Minds: AI’s Next Frontier” featuring Dr. Hiro Hamada, Research Team Lead at ARAYA Inc.
“Media is essential for building a more sustainable future,” said His Excellency Dr. Jamal Mohammed Obaid Al Kaabi, Director-General of the NMO. “Its true power lies in bridging cultures. Japan, at the crossroads of tradition and innovation, plays a vital role as we strengthen ties between East and West. Through BRIDGE Summit 2025, we aim to foster dialogue — urgently needed in a fragmented world that demands mutual understanding and collective action.”
Insights from the Osaka event contribute directly to Connecting Conversations, a living series of reports capturing the ideas, concerns, and innovations emerging from every BRIDGE city. These reports, already published for New York and London, form the intellectual backbone of the upcoming BRIDGE Summit in Abu Dhabi on December 8-10, 2025, where global media leaders will reconvene to advance a shared vision for ethical and inclusive media transformation.
While the roadshow is content-driven and focused on thought leadership, the upcoming Summit in Abu Dhabi will offer a platform for inspiration, partnership, and business collaboration.
