In an age far less connected than today, the Expo was an opportunity for countries to showcase their very best, influencing the development of commerce, art and architecture, education, technology and tourism. Inventions such as the telephone, aluminium and steel were first presented at such exhibitions.

New planes, new in-flight entertainment options, smart new uniforms for the cabin attendants, even business class. It’s all part of supreme leader Kim Jong Un’s effort to boost tourist numbers 20-fold to 2 million by 2020 and supplement the nation’s meager foreign exchange.

The establishment of a diplomatic mission in Seoul has opened a new chapter in bilateral relations with Korea, says the first resident Latvian ambassador to Korea. "We share similar values and attitudes about working hard and reaching out and so it is quite natural for Latvia to be taking steps to actively promote closer relations with strong, like-minded partners such as Korea," Peteris Vaivars said.

Mr Coghlan is helping find ways to build cultural connections and "soft power diplomacy" between the two countries, by taking designers and Australian fashion industry representatives into China - and vice versa. "There's still a knowledge gap in the Australian industry on how China operates and ways to do business with China in the fashion sector, so we're continuing to work on that and build China relevant capabilities," Mr Coghlan said.

Ami Matsuzawa is an inquisitive person. This is probably why First Lady Akie Abe wanted to meet her as part of an international group of young women that is helping Japan engage with the world.

While Chinese tourists in Australia for Lunar New Year are being targeted in the hope they will spend big on Australian fashion [...] Mr Coghlan is helping find ways to build cultural connections and "soft power diplomacy" between the two countries, by taking designers and Australian fashion industry representatives into China - and vice versa.

As Japan gears up to host the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and caters to a surging influx of foreign visitors, the country faces a cultural dilemma: Should it stop identifying Buddhist temples on maps with the traditional “manji” symbol that is often confused with a Nazi swastika?

"Cool Japan Heats Up” declares a sign welcoming visitors to an area of Universal Studios Japan (USJ) devoted to the country’s hottest pop culture exports. Now in its second year, USJ’s “Universal Cool Japan” event features special attractions that run until June 26. It promises to deliver “the finest of Japanese entertainment to the world” — assuming everyone who wants to receive it can fly to Osaka.