Group 1 - The Osaka-Kansai Expo is showcasing numerous exhibitions and activities related to "food," reflecting on the impact of the 1970 Osaka Expo, which marked a turning point in Japan's dining culture and is referred to as the "year of eating out" [1] - The introduction of fast food culture in Japan, including fried chicken, French fries, and donuts, was significantly influenced by the 1970 Expo, leading to a dramatic increase in the consumption of fried foods [1] - The per capita annual supply of cooking oil in Japan has doubled from 6.8 kg in 1970 to 13.9 kg in 2019, with approximately 500,000 tons of waste cooking oil generated annually [1] Group 2 - The president of Hamada Chemical, Okano Yoshichi, stated that "oil is a mirror of society," highlighting the shift in waste oil sources due to changing consumer habits, such as the increase in waste oil from supermarket prepared foods and the decrease from supermarkets when convenience stores began frying food on-site [2] - Okano noted that the rising prices of food have led to an increase in the proportion of dark oil used, as consumers attempt to save costs by maximizing oil usage [2] - Okano's childhood experiences in the polluted Hanshin industrial area have shaped his perspective on ecological cycles, emphasizing the hard work behind seemingly beautiful environmental efforts [2]