 |
| A Japanese monk (L) enters the
Cambodian pavilion during a preview of the 2005 World
Exposition in Nagakute, Aichi prefecture. The 185-day world expo will officially
open March 25.(AFP/File/Kazuhiro
Nogi) | |
The 21st century's first World Exposition opened
in Japan with governments and companies showcasing technology and culture
in a six-month event expected to draw 15 million visitors.
Humanoid robots walked, danced and played music alongside real humans
who carried flags of 121 countries on a stage in Japan's industrial
heartland of Aichi some 250 kilometers (155 miles) west of Tokyo.
"I hope this exposition will become the starting point for us to think
about coexistence of humans and nature," Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi
told more than 2,000 invited guests at the forest park, which will open to
the general public Friday.
"The key to make environmental protection compatible with economic
development is technology. By managing to promote both environmental
protection and economic prosperity, we must pass on this beautiful Earth
to our children," Koizumi said.
The theme of the latest Expo, which traces its roots to the 1851 Great
Exhibition in London, is "Nature's Wisdom" with 121 countries hosting
displays meant to show the link between technology and the environment.
The six-month event is expected to draw some 15 million people with
exhibits on everything from advanced robots to a frozen mammoth dug up in
Siberia, with the host country hoping to regain its image as a world
innovator.
Heads of state or government, including French President Jacques
Chirac, Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Central American
leaders, are due to visit the fair to promote their countries.
The event has been dubbed the "Toyota Expo" as it takes place in the
base of the automaker, which is Japan's largest company and will entertain
guests at its pavilion with
robots performing everything from a brass ensemble to hip-hop.
Japan readied for the Expo by opening last month its third
international airport, Centrair, as a gateway.
It is the first World Exposition to take place in Japan since 1970 in
Osaka.
That exhibition is credited with solidifying the image of post-World
War II Japan as a technology powerhouse, six years after the Tokyo
Olympics confirmed Japan was back on the map as a major world player.
"The World Exposition is the mirror that shows the shape of the era,"
said Shoichiro Toyoda, chairman of the world fair.
"We have a mission to display modern civilizations and culture as well
as the latest technologies and pass them on to make the future generations
prosperous," he said.
In a parallel, the next World Expo will be held in 2010 in Shanghai,
two years after Beijing hosts the summer Olympics in a sign of China's
rise.
（Agencies) |
21世紀的首次世博會在日本開幕了。在為期六個月的時間里，各國政府和企業(yè)將盡情展示他們的科技文化成果，這次盛會預計將吸引1500萬參觀者。
位于東京以西約250公里（155英里）的愛知縣是日本的工業(yè)中心，也是這次世博會的承辦地。在會場中，惟妙惟肖的人型機器人在手持121國國旗的旗手旁邊踏步、跳舞和奏樂。
日本首相小泉純一郎在森林公園面對2000多位特邀嘉賓說：“我希望這次世博會能成為一個契機，讓我們開始思考人類與自然和諧共存的問題。”森林公園將于本周五向公眾開放。
小泉純一郎說：“科技是使環(huán)境保護和經濟發(fā)展相協(xié)調的關鍵因素。我們在發(fā)展經濟的同時，必須致力于環(huán)境保護，我們一定要把這個美麗的地球留給我們的子孫后代。”
這次世博會的主題“自然的智慧”可以追溯到1851年在倫敦召開的萬國大博覽會。121個國家圍繞這個主題布置了自己的展臺，旨在展示著科技與環(huán)境的聯(lián)系。
為期6個月的展覽會預計將接待1500萬左右的參觀者。展覽的內容包羅萬象，從最新式的機器人到在西伯利亞冰層挖掘出的猛犸巨象。作為主辦方，日本希望通過這次世博會重塑自己世界科技發(fā)明者的形象。
各個國家和地區(qū)的首腦，包括法國總統(tǒng)希拉克、澳大利亞總理霍華德以及中美洲國家的領導人們，將出現(xiàn)在展覽會場，為自己的國家作一回“推銷員”。
這次世博會被稱為“豐田世博會”，因為愛知縣正是豐田公司總部所在地。為了帶給觀眾更為精彩的體驗，這家日本最大的公司將在其展廳中安排機器人表演銅管樂合奏和街舞等各種節(jié)目。
為了迎接世博會的召開，上個月，日本的第三個國際機場--中部國際機場正式投入使用。
此次盛會是繼1970年大阪世博會之后，世博會第二次落戶日本。
1964年的東京奧運會標志著日本重回世界大舞臺，而6年之后的大阪世博會則被認為使日本戰(zhàn)后"科技強國"的形象更加深入人心。
本屆世博會主席豐田章一郎說：“世博會就是一面鏡子，從中我們能夠看到時代的脈絡”。
他補充說：“我們的使命是在展示現(xiàn)代文明、文化和最新科學技術的同時將它們傳下去，造福子孫。”
與日本類似的是，2008年，北京將代表正在崛起的中國舉辦夏季奧運會，兩年后的2010年，下一屆的世界博覽會將在上海舉行。
（中國日報網站譯） |
Updated: 2005-03-28 10:30