Panasonic Connect Co., Ltd. has announced plans to deploy advanced biometric authentication and AI sensing technologies at Expo 2025 Osaka, marking a major expansion of the company’s facial recognition and smart infrastructure systems in Japan. The technology will manage access for approximately 100,000 staff members across 30 gate facilities during the six-month event, running from April 13 to October 13, 2025.
The deployment will be executed in partnership with Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (DNP), leveraging both facial recognition and QR code-based authentication. The systems build upon Panasonic’s long-standing experience in biometric security, including the deployment of biometric eGates at Japanese immigration facilities and the use of FacePRO technology in public venues and stadiums.
Expo 2025 represents a significant scale-up of Panasonic’s capabilities, following earlier milestones like its server-based facial recognition systems that could register up to 30,000 identities. The Expo is expected to draw 28 million visitors to the exhibition grounds on Yumeshima Island in Osaka Bay. Panasonic’s systems will play a critical role in maintaining secure and efficient operations across the site.
In addition to access control, Panasonic Connect will implement AI-driven sensing technologies to monitor crowd flow and optimize security and operational efficiency. These include ITS Smart Poles to support automated bus navigation and AI-controlled lighting systems for key areas such as the Grand Ring—demonstrating alignment with the Expo’s theme, “Designing Future Society for Our Lives.” Panasonic will also provide projection and entertainment systems within its own pavilion.
The initiative is part of a broader biometric deployment across the Expo. NEC will implement facial recognition for visitor access and cashless payments at 51 entrance gates and roughly 1,000 payment terminals. This large-scale rollout will enable contactless authentication at restaurants, shops, and attractions, establishing one of Japan’s most ambitious biometric infrastructures to date.
Panasonic’s biometric authentication system is known for high-accuracy performance, including effective recognition of individuals wearing masks or helmets—an advantage validated through previous construction site trials. These features will help ensure reliable access control across diverse staffing environments.
The project arrives as Japan continues to invest in biometric infrastructure, with facial recognition gates expanding across major airports. Expo 2025 is projected to generate over ¥891.3 billion in economic activity for Osaka, solidifying its status not only as a technology showcase, but as a driver of urban innovation and economic development.
Sources: Panasonic, Bastillepost
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April 07, 2025 – by the ID Tech Editorial Team
