On Wednesday, September 24, 2025, the Romania Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka hosted a press conference dedicated to “IONA” by Marin Sorescu, directed by the renowned Silviu Purcărete.
The Romanian–Japanese co-production will have its preview on October 1 and its official premiere on October 2, 2025, at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre – Theatre West.
The press conference was moderated by Constantin Chiriac, General Director of the Radu Stanca National Theatre Sibiu and President of the Sibiu International Theatre Festival (FITS), alongside the artistic team: Kuranosuke Sasaki, leading actor, Minako Naito, Executive Producer for Performing Arts at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, Silviu Purcărete, director, Vasile Șirli, composer and Dragoș Buhagiar, stage designer.
The event was opened by Ferdinand Nagy, Commissioner General of the Romania Pavilion, and Ovidiu Alexandru Raețchi, Ambassador of Romania to Japan.
Commissioner General Ferdinand Nagy emphasized the importance of this cultural event, both within the international artistic context and as a symbol of the encounter between Romanian and Japanese culture, highlighting the creative power of artistic exchange: “This production challenges, moves, and once again proves that art transcends borders, bringing people together through universal themes and shared emotions.”
Statements from the Press Conference
Kuranosuke Sasaki, leading actor of IONA: “Romania has become my favorite European country. The collaboration with the Romanian team was an extraordinary experience and a true joy. I felt privileged to work alongside such dedicated and talented colleagues. Romania is a place where people hug each other and I can just feel the warmth of their welcoming spirit.”
Silviu Purcărete, director: “Marin Sorescu’s play is a poetic monologue written during the communist dictatorship – a cry for freedom. It is a profound and universal work that the actor Kuranosuke Sasaki had the courage to interpret.”
Dragoș Buhagiar, stage designer: “It is very important for an artist to have the opportunity to encounter different theatrical approaches and fellow artists. The essence of Silviu Purcărete’s creative vision lies in humanity – he gathers around him people of great human as well as artistic qualities. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity.”
The press conference dedicated to IONA showed once again that theatre is a universal language that unites cultures and generations. Romania Pavilion was filled with an enthusiastic audience and numerous representatives of the Japanese media, whose presence confirmed their keen interest in Romanian theatre and in the expressive power of art as a bridge between people and civilizations.
The event was organized by the Romania Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, with the support of the Romanian Cultural Institute in Tokyo, marking a significant step in promoting Romanian theatre on the international stage and in strengthening a genuine platform of dialogue and friendship between Romania and Japan.