Pikachu and Hello Kitty are now the ambassadors of Osaka

If there is an iconic character that Japan can be proud to have introduced to the world, it would be none other than Pikachu from Pokemon. Recently, Japanese Foreign minister Taro Kono has made Pikachu and Hello Kitty, another anime character who reached global fame, official promoters of the City of Osaka for the 2025 Expo host city.

Both Pikachu and Hello Kitty have been global icons for many people, especially with Pikachu being the companion of many children growing up. Pikachu can be quite nearly the equivalent of Mickey Mouse in Japan, and he has also appeared almost everywhere around the world because of the rising interest in anime.

"I would like for you to represent Japan and proactively (promote) the attraction of Osaka inside and outside of the country," says Kano as he hands out letters to the two characters, as per The Japan Times. To be specific, Kano wants them to promote the country's bid to host The World Expo in 2025.

The World Expo is a conference that takes place every five years and is located different countries. The purpose is for countries to discuss common challenges that people of the current generation experience and go through. According to IGN, the location of the event is chosen by the Bureau International des Expositions.

For 2020, they have chosen Dubai to be the host of The World Expo. There has not been an official location for 2025 yet, but the nominations are France, Russia, Azerbaijan, and of course, Japan. The Bureau International des Expositions will make their final decision by November of 2018, so these countries have nearly a year to compete with each other.

As the ambassadors for Osaka, and thus Japan, the two characters will frequently appear pamphlets and gifts as promotions for the city. Soccer star Keisuke Honda and 2012 Nobel Prize winner in medicine, Shinya Yamanaka, will also be ambassadors for the same event.