Man gets admission to Osaka Expo with ticket for 1940 event that never took place

The Mainichi

07-05-2025

OSAKA -- A man with an admission ticket to the "international exposition" in 1940, which was scheduled to be held mainly in Tokyo but was postponed indefinitely due to the escalation of the Second Sino-Japanese War, gained admission to Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai on May 5, exchanging the 1940 ticket for a one-day adult pass.
The 1940 expo was officially known as the "2600 Japan International Exposition," based on the Japanese imperial calendar beginning in 660 B.C. Among experts and enthusiasts, it is known as the "phantom expo," and tickets that were not refunded during the chaos have been used at subsequent expos, including the 1970 Expo in Osaka.
Holding the time-honored ticket was Fumiya Takenawa, 25, a company worker from Tokyo's Suginami Ward, who was visiting his parents' home in Osaka Prefecture. A fan of the "Tower of the Sun," the symbol of the 1970 Osaka Expo, Takenawa collects expo-related memorabilia. In March, he found and purchased a "phantom expo" ticket online. Though he initially displayed it at home in a showcase, he became curious about whether it could be used at the latest event and contacted the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition. The association reportedly responded that if the ticket was genuine and met the requirements, it would accommodate its use.
A smiling Takenawa said, "It's my first Expo, and it was great to be a part of history." He added, "Expos are bridges of peace. After 85 years, I hope this clears the regrets of the person who couldn't attend the Expo that they must have been looking forward to." He said his main interests were the Czech and Saudi Arabian pavilions, and he intends to return to the event each time he visits his family.
According to an association representative, 1 million copies of the "phantom expo" ticket booklets were sold in 1938. Each booklet contained 12 tickets and was priced at 10 yen (approximately 17,000 yen or roughly $118 in today's currency). For the latest Expo, each unused booklet can be exchanged for two adult day passes, and the booklet is returned to the owner. Approximately 3,000 exchanges occurred at the 1970 Osaka Expo and about 100 at the 2005 Aichi Expo.