Japan’s “2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo,” which was feared to be sluggish in the box office, surpassed the b..

사진 확대 Visitors arriving at the “2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo” in Osaka, Japan, on May 14. [Photo = AFP Yonhap News]

Japan’s “2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo,” which was feared to be sluggish in the box office, surpassed the break-even point in about four months after its opening.

According to Jiji News Agency on the 12th, the Japan International Fair Association announced the previous day that 18.09 million tickets were sold as of the 8th.

The Osaka Expo, which opened on April 13, was feared to end in the red due to sluggish ticket sales at the beginning of the opening, but the number of visitors gradually increased.

The association held a ceremony on June 29, earlier than expected, to celebrate the achievement of 10 million visitors. Since the opening, 400,000 to 500,000 people per week have entered. Initially, the association aimed to sell 23 million tickets by closing on October 13.

The cost of operating the event was estimated at 116 billion yen (about 1.87 trillion won), and 96.9 billion yen (about 908 billion won) was expected to be covered by ticket sales.

However, a government official explained that costs may increase from the initial prediction, and if the normal opening is not achieved due to bad weather, a loss of 600 million yen (about 5.6 billion won) per day will occur.

Meanwhile, 158 countries and international organizations from around the world will participate in the expo, which will be held under the theme of “Design of a Future Society with a Bright Life” on Yumeishima, an artificial island west of Osaka, for six months.