Concerns persist over Osaka Expo preparations 6 months before opening

OSAKA — With Sunday marking six months until the opening of the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, there is persisting concern about whether the construction of pavilions and other facilities will be completed in time.

Achieving organizers' target of 28.2 million visitors, 1.3 times the number at Expo 2005 in Aichi, central Japan, is key to covering the construction and operation costs of the event to be held on Yumeshima, a man-made island in Osaka Bay, from April 13 through Oct 13.

But construction of many of the pavilions has fallen behind schedule, with concern growing some will not be completed by the opening.

A plan to operate flying taxis, viewed as one of the event's highlights, has been dropped after all four operators gave up on carrying passengers in their electric aircraft due to safety challenges, adding to worries about ticket sales.

Over 7 million tickets had been sold as of Oct 6, according to the organizers, half of the 14 million advance tickets aimed for, but some officials from participating companies say they are not very optimistic about sales.

Purchasers of the tickets can reserve their visits as early as six months in advance. Those wishing to visit on the opening day can make reservations starting Sunday, with separate bookings required for visits to pavilions and certain events.

The organizers say the purpose of the reservation system is to prevent congestion. Tickets that do not require a particular day to be specified are also being sold, but holders will not be able to enter the venue on certain days.

"We hope to earn a profit that can be used for a future expo," said Masakazu Tokura, head of the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition and chairman of the Japan Business Federation, the country's largest business lobby known as Keidanren.

The budget for construction has grown 1.9-fold from the original plan to 235 billion yen and that for operation of the venue has risen 1.4-fold to 116 billion yen.

Aside from the pavilions of participating countries, regions and companies, the main attractions include an artificial beating heart made of iPS cells and a "Mars rock" discovered in Antarctica.

Kura Sushi Inc's restaurant at the expo will serve sushi and dishes from other countries on a 135-meter-long conveyor belt.

The Grand Ring roof will be one of the world's largest wooden structures with a circumference of approximately 2 kilometers and a maximum height of around 20 meters.

According to the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, 47 countries are planning to build their own pavilions, called Type A.

The association has requested that construction work requiring the use of heavy machinery be completed by mid-October so that work on other facilities will not be affected, but the exterior of only one pavilion has been finished so far.

© KYODO