Recently, Azize Naji, CEO at Goggleminds visited Japan as part of a Wales Trade Mission, representing innovation in Wales at the World Expo and Japan Health 2025. In this guest blog, he shares reflections and key takeaways from the events.
Azize Naji
Chief Executive Officer, Goggleminds
At the end of June 2025, I had the incredible opportunity to visit Japan as part of a Wales Trade Mission, organised and led by Export Wales, alongside a number of other Welsh businesses. Japan has long been on my personal travel list, so to go as a representative of Goggleminds made it all the more special. It marked a major milestone for us: it’s the furthest I’ve travelled to showcase our technology and share the work we’re doing.
I landed in Osaka, and one of the first things that struck me was the airport luggage carousel. Each suitcase was perfectly aligned, almost as if it had been arranged by hand—which, as it turns out, it had. Airport staff were quietly working behind the scenes to keep everything in order. That attention to detail really stood out to me and felt like a metaphor for much of what I would later experience in Japan.
Over the following days, I met with the other Welsh companies, and we travelled to Kobe City, where we delivered company presentations and were hosted by RIKEN, a powerhouse in research and development. The technology they’re creating is remarkable, and once again, the attention to detail was something I really admired. This included an artificial intelligence system capable of computational modelling at high speeds, and a robotic arm system which was programmed to carry out scientific experiments repeatedly. This allowed around-the-clock experiments to be carried out to speed up laboratory work.
Global innovation and connections
Two days after arriving, I was off to World Expo, an important next stop on our mission. World Expo 2025 Japan is a global event taking place in Osaka until October 2025, where over 150 countries are showcasing their innovations in health, sustainability and technology under the theme of “Designing Future Society for Our Lives.”
The plan was to showcase our technology to a global audience, and to join a panel of speakers to share ideas about the future. The Wales- themed room was packed with people from all walks of industry, academia and the public sector. Thankfully, each company was assigned an interpreter to support conversations with Japanese speaking guests.
The morning was full of meaningful conversations. One of my first interactions stood out, discussing Goggleminds projects with a leading Japanese tech company. It was a reminder of how innovation, whether from Japan or Wales, is driven by the same bold ambition. The interest they had in what we’re building underscored how far Welsh innovation has come, and the impact we can make, having these global conversations. It carried on like that all the way through the morning session. Meeting people from all walks of industry and life with a common purpose. Discussions focussed on important topics such as ‘how are you making things better for people?’ and ‘how can we make things better for people together?’
Following the afternoon panel discussion and a few more presentations, it was on to the evening networking event. With a slightly more relaxed atmosphere, the conversations were flowing. People from all over the world gathered in clusters—some sharing ideas over snacks, others deep in conversation about future collaborations. It was a chance to connect beyond business cards, to explore real opportunities and hear what was truly driving innovation behind the scenes.
Representing Wales at Japan Health
After a long but very productive day at World Expo, the next three days were spent at Japan Health, a major international healthcare exhibition in Osaka.
Joined by four other Welsh companies, we were proud to represent Wales on the dedicated stand. Our space was located in one of two huge exhibition halls filled with innovative companies from across the globe. There was a dynamic mix of small start-ups and large corporations, all showcasing cutting-edge healthcare technologies and solutions.
It was inspiring to see so many people actively seeking new solutions to today’s healthcare challenges, making it a truly valuable experience for networking and learning about the latest advancements shaping the future of health. For me, it was a fantastic chance not just to showcase our work but to connect with passionate people pushing boundaries. I also took the opportunity to explore the exhibitions. One of my personal favourites was a robotic system to help amputees regain functionality with an artificial robotic arm. Seeing innovation like that up close was both inspiring and a powerful reminder of how technology can truly change lives.
International collaboration: supporting the Cardiff-Tokyo VR Student Exchange
After an amazing three days at Japan Health, it was on to the next stop, Tokyo. Goggleminds has recently supported an international virtual reality (VR) student exchange between Cardiff University and the Institute of Tokyo. The nursing students and our partners were as delighted as I was to finally meet in person. This event brought together nursing students from each university in a VR space built by Goggleminds, to learn about one another’s culture in the context of healthcare delivery. We met our Japanese partners face to face after months of collaborating online—there’s something really special about those first in-person conversations. It was warmer, more relaxed, and full of mutual curiosity. We exchanged stories, discussed the impact of the student exchange, and began to explore how we could build on this momentum for future collaborations. It felt like the start of something even bigger.
The next day after a farewell to everyone, I was back on the bullet train on my way back to Osaka to leave for my flight home. As I made my way back to the UK, I felt incredibly proud of what Goggleminds had achieved and excited about what lies ahead. From showcasing our technology on the global stage to strengthening partnerships and being inspired by the innovation all around us, the trip was a reminder of why we do what we do.
The trip also highlighted the strength of the Welsh innovation ecosystem and how some of the amazing work coming out of our nation has the potential to change lives and improve healthcare on a global stage. There’s incredibly exciting stuff coming out of Wales and it’s an honour to be part of this.
Japan Health 2025 and our time in Tokyo weren’t just about business, they were about connection, curiosity, and the shared ambition to shape a better future in healthcare. I left with new ideas, new friends, and a renewed sense of purpose. It was sayonara for now, but not for long.
Learn more about one of Goggleminds VR projects here, or find out more on Goggleminds’ website.
