Participants in a “test run” for Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, take photos at the venue on April 4, 2025, in the city of Osaka’s Konohana Ward. (Mainichi/Takehiko Onishi)
OSAKA — Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura on April 8 called on the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition to consider opening the Expo venue’s gates early to alleviate what is expected to be serious congestion.
The request came just five days before Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai is set to open on April 13, when 140,000 to 150,000 people are expected to descend on the site.
Yoshimura, who is also vice chairman of the Expo association, made the remarks during a meeting of the city of Osaka and the prefecture’s World Exposition promotion headquarters.
An April 4-6 “test run” at the venue saw some 98,000 participants, with a peak attendance of about 47,000 on the final day. Some attendees had to wait over an hour at the entrance gates, prompting promotion headquarter discussions on issues including entry and exit procedures and venue guidance.
Yoshimura stated, “We have received feedback that wait times at the gates are excessive, causing visitors to miss their scheduled pavilion times,” and stressed the need for improvements. He urged consideration of earlier gate opening times, particularly on the opening day.
To further address congestion, Yoshimura suggested strengthening pre-arrival communications, such as advising visitors to prepare to show their ticket QR codes. He also recommended providing simple paper maps within the venue to help visitors locate facilities like restrooms and first aid stations. Speaking to the press, the governor remarked, “We should take all feasible measures, share ideas and work toward resolving issues identified during the test run.”
(Japanese original by Takumi Fujikawa, Osaka City News Department)
AloJapan.com