The Water Plaza at the venue for the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai in Osaka’s Konohana Ward is seen on June 5, 2025, with few people around after it was announced that legionella bacteria had been detected there. (Mainichi/Naomichi Senoo)
OSAKA — The hosting organization for the ongoing Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai established a task force on June 10 to respond to the detection of legionella bacteria in excess of guideline levels inside the event’s venue.
The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition announced the creation of a water quality management task force the next day. Legionella bacteria have been found in the Water Plaza and a recreational water facility in the Forest of Tranquility area at the site on Yumeshima in Osaka’s Konohana Ward.
Following advice from the Osaka municipal public health center, the fountain at the Water Plaza was shut down and daytime and evening water shows were suspended. Measures including water drainage were also taken in the Forest of Tranquility area.
However, the lateness and other aspects of both the announcement and response have drawn criticism.
According to the association, the task force is led by Secretary General Hiroyuki Ishige and comprised of relevant department chiefs. Its goal is to organize the issues and promptly hold meetings to address the situation.
The Expo association has also set up a task force to deal with a mass outbreak of chironomids, or non-biting midges — winged insects that resemble mosquitoes.
(Japanese original by Tatsuya Naganuma, Osaka City News Department)
AloJapan.com